Alice Figueiredo

[helpyhelperton]

I've just watched her family speak on TV. Their wonderful daughter and sister took her own life whilst in hospital at 22.

The family were so eloquent and composed. My heart breaks for them. I do so hope they can start to find some peace.

They could be us, except we are so grateful and thankful that we still have our daughter. Watching them brought out my stifled sobs that I so often hold back.

We need to change our mental health support and really invest in it. Especially when they turn 18 and they enter the new world of adult services.

Thinking of all those out there in the same position.

Personally, and no doubt I will get ripped apart on this website, I am rather concerned about the trend for holding NHS staff responsible for actions of others. It is tragic, built ultimately this young person took her own life. It seems she used a plastic bag. Not exactly an uncommon item, and if someone is determined enough they literally will grasp anything. I was a bit uneasy at holding NHS staff accountable for the Nottingham murderer too. Just what is the incentive to work in helping professions now? Debt, shit pay, shit conditions, and if anything goes wrong you will be sued.

It all makes me very uneasy.

Ps go and protest to the politicians who are currently cutting the NHS again, never mind prosecuting individually named hard working staff.

Mental health services in the UK are absolutely dire and have been for decades.
We need to move to a European health care system and stop talking about the only alternative being the US private system.

I was very careful not to criticise the NHS - I understand what you are saying. It's not the people giving the care - it's the support and the investment they have in them.

I do get what you're saying in terms of the bag - however, it is a weapon. If you run a mental health ward - you have to remove everything that could be used and plastic bags are a huge red flag. It could have been that she was on a standard ward, which it's different.

We need to move to a European health care system and stop talking about the only alternative being the US private system.

Tell the politicians and media moguls that. It’s useless, we have no control in this country.

My adult child lives and works in France. DC has bipolar disorder. The care in France has been excellent for several years and is all covered under state provision and personal insurance contributions that are income based. DC will never come back to UK because they would not be safe in NHS care.

This is what worries me. Whilst my DD is an adult but living at home, I can help her. Adult services should start at 25 I think, at least. I'm glad your child is doing well and being looked after.

I do completely understand that it is not fair to live in fear of prosecution from a mistake at work. However, equally, I think it's fair that no one is above the law.

The fact that patients will clearly use plastic bags as a method - and the repeated mentions of this in risk assessments - does leave me uneasy as to why the ward manager did not remove them. I agree with you though on how determined people can be. However, I'd like to think that the ward's job at that point is to do their absolute best to remove any potential things that they could use, which they clearly did not do. So I wouldn't really say it's the 'actions of others' at fault here but rather their own negligence for a quite obvious health & safety issue when caring for severely unwell people.

It's a difficult one though and I can certainly see your POV. I had hoped the ward manager would be found guilty of gross negligence, but your reply gives me food for thought.

I'm quite biased having seen a few MH acute wards first hand that I found horrifying & I really don't like to think that NHS staff can't stand trial like anyone else for negligence at work. However, it's the rotten few who ruin it for the majority & I completely agree I would hate to work underneath the threat of prosecution at mistakes. Healthcare, too, isn't as black & white as other jobs, so I do see your point about other's actions coming into play. Thank you for the interesting perspective!

There are more details coming out now tbf. It doesn’t sound good there. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly2r0x9xwlo