Can my DP have his bipolar, alcoholic DS sectioned for his own safety?

[Notnamed]

In the middle of a crisis. atm, DS isn't in any state to agree to being sectioned, is threatening suicide, won't stay in hospital.

Can his family or how can his family take the lead in this to get him the help he needs?

Thanks.

Not if family are willing to take responsibility for him as far as I know from experience. You can try his GP first maybe.

The only way I know to force services to act is to totally pull up the drawbridge so they have nobody to take responsibility and care for them. It's really hard to do though.

The relevant legislation is the Mental Capacity Act.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/making-decisions-for-someone-else/mental-capacity-act/

What exactly is he saying when he threatens suicide? If you are seriously concerned for his welfare and he won't go to hospital then call the police. But if he's already been in hospital then they should have assessed his capacity - if they think he has capacity they can't/won't force him to stay in.

My experience with a close relative was that in spite of his existing condition which regularly presented a threat to his or others life he had to actually act on the threat before the doctors would section him. I.E. actively raging and threatening to kill us whilst in hospital and they were willing to let him leave, but then he hit a nurse and sectioned. It’s frustrating because you are trying to stop things getting to that stage.

It is very hard for those supporting a loved one (and so so hard for them). I hope that you can get him the helps he needs.

The nearest relative (as defined by the act) can request an assessment that may result in him being detained/ sectioned

www.rethink.org/Factsheets/2654/Nearest%20Relative%20factsheet

Thanks for the information. My DP is driving across to him as I type. Very difficult to ensure an adult DC's safety when they are 3 hours away.

Whilst drunk he is abusive, violent. He has stopped taking his bipolar med's so that he can drink. He has been drunk for about 9 days, he can't make any decisions whilst like this.

He rings and says he is having suicidal thoughts ( tho hasn't done anything, is it likely to be for attention? We really don't know how this works?), he has burnt the carpet in his flat I assume falling asleep whilst smoking, he has fallen and was taken to hospital by ambulance yesterday with head injuries. He refused to actually go into the hospital, went home, severe withdrawal including hallucinating and now drinking again.

I've posted elsewhere on here for more traffic.

DP and his EXW are at a loss.

The hallucinations following withdrawal are enough for hospital admission. Only a small percentage of alcoholics experience full blown DTs and seizures; they can be fatal.

The way it used to work and I thought still did, was that two independent doctors had to agree that the person was a danger to him/herself and/or others. The GP is usually the first port and call and (in my experience) the crisis team are called, most often to the patient's house, where they assess the danger and then section him/her if they see fit. I know quite a few people that this has happened too - section 2 in all cases I believe - and concerned family members have spoken in confidence to the GP of the relative.

It sounds a horrible situation and I hope you are able to get some help.

Thanks, ambulance with him, having to shower him before taking him. Police are on standby.

@Notnamed how are you and how is it all going? Thinking of you.