... to call emergency services and ask them to break into my brother's house?

[shockthemonkey]

Hello, I have name-changed to protect my brother's identity.

My brother is a severe alcoholic who has holed himself up in his flat to drink himself into oblivion.

None of his family can reach him because we all live abroad. But we know he is drinking and now he has stopped answering his phone. His doctor warned us a few years ago that he would not live much longer if he continued drinking... and since our father recently died we have all had the strong feeling that our brother has given up on life.

If we call emergency services and explain the situation, would they be able to break in and get him? We have no contacts in the locality, never mind anyone in the building we can talk to. We just have his address and his mobile number (which just goes straight to voicemail).

What's the best course of action? He is in London. Thanks so much if you can advise

SS are on their way. They were very understanding this time and they agreed the content of his last text was worrying.

God bless them and the work they do

SS called back. They visited and he told them to go away. But they were sufficiently worried about his welfare to call the police -- they said he sounded terrible. Police are heading over there in the next hour.

SS are also talking about getting their mental health team involved.

Here is the question: do the police have the power to section him if they feel it necessary? When I said to SS, what happens if he tells the police to leave too, they seemed to hint that the police could use powers (of persuasion? statutory powers?) to get him to let them in. So, did I understand them correctly? and also, whom if anyone might have the power to section him?

I had understood that you can only section someone if they are doing something like holding a gun to their own head. But alcohol, though it IS actually killing him, is not a "dangerous weapon".

Sorry if this blunt talk is upsetting anyone, I know there are painful memories out there...

What is their concern? Suicicidal, medical or alcohol?

Police only have powers to take a person to a place of safety if they are doing something likely to hurt themselves or another, and they are in a public place. (Under section 136 of the Mental Health Act which is why we call it 'section'.)
If they are in a private property and are doing something likely to hurt themselves we can request doctors and mental health professionals come to do an assessment and they can detain someone and take them to a MH assessment unit (section 135 MHA)
This takes HOURS so we normally persuade people to go voluntarily to hospital for an assessment for their own wellbeing.
We can force entry if we believe life is at risk.
I have 'sectioned' people before for less worrying behaviour than your brother has displayed. It is always in their best interests, and simply as we are incapable of assessing/helping people to the level they need, and we don't feel it safe to leave them alone.
Best wishes, thinking of you

Police can and do section people. However it is not like an assessment or treatment section of the MHA which last 28 days or 6 months respectively. They can do a holding order which is either 48 or 72 hours and it is a temporary detention, without crime, pending the assessment by a psychiatrist.

Thanks nick, hot and ral. I think their concern is suicidal... the lady who talked to him just said she was very concerned and that he sounded terrible, really suffering.

So there are possibilities but no miracle measures to be taken.

Thanks for the virtual flowers. I will let you know how it pans out -- I know from contributing to threads like this myself that you begin to feel very invested.

I hope your brother gets some help. He sounds very depressed and I'm sure the alcohol won't be helping him think rationally or helping his mood. What a lovely sister you are though. I hope it works out for you all.

I really feel for you. I have been through the exact same thing with my closest friend. He was so bad I had to force myself into his house completely ready to (yet again) read him the riot act. But when I saw the state of him and the house (think extreme hoarders and filth) it stopped me in my tracks. He looked dreadful , was vomiting where he stood, completely oblivious. I gently told him he needed to go to hospital to which he refused. So I offered to take him to the pub. On the way, I made sure we walked alongside the taxi rank, pulled open a door and bundled him in, told the driver to take us to A&E.

He was in hospital for 2 weeks. I demanded SS got involved, told them he wouldn't survive Christmas (this was 2 years ago) unless they stepped in. They were fabulous I'm absolutely ecstatic to report that he is thriving today. He sold the dreadful house, now lives in a manageable flat and no longer drinks to excess. He came on holiday with us this year and had a (moderate) ball. I've never been prouder.

I am sorry for your recent loss, and sincerely hope your brother gets the help he needs. And I know how hard and frustrating it is for you. Also, whilst I understand the sentiment "he can only help himself" and believe it to be true, it's a truly selfless thing to stick with someone and not give up on them. We all need someone, even in our darkest periods. I could never have given up. All the very best xx

Wow Shakey What an amazing friend you are xxx

Shakey that is a great story. The state you found your friend in when you turned up, we have found our brother in many times over the years, but now he no longer lets us into his flat. He will turn us away even if he knows we have made a huge effort to get there.

The pub/taxi/hospital ruse was very clever, quick thinking. You should be very proud of yourself as well as of your friend.

A less than satisfactory update today in that the police did a safe and well check and found him to be safe and well, not suicidal, in his right mind with the capacity to make his own decisions. So when he said no thanks to the offer to get him to a hospital, they left it at that. The case is closed now (by SS) on the strength of the police's findings.

I really appreciate that the police have gone around, but don't think they should be asked to make mental health assessments on people they have never met. It does not change the fact that SS are very concerned.

It's not a great system but I can't fault any of the people I have been speaking to at SS. The police also, once they decided to act, acted promptly and did the best they could within, I suppose, their guidelines.