This week a report was released into the suicide of a teenage boy (18 years old) in Northern Ireland. As reported on the BBC the Care Trust involved has admitted failings. But again this kind of tragedy goes to show that mental health issues are still not properly funded or understood by mainstream healthcare professionals and organisations.
On the day that he died, the victim in this case had tried to get himself admitted to hospital but had failed, as a specialist nurse wrongly assessed his suicide risk as “low”. Hours later he hung himself.
In this case there were the usual breakdowns in communication and confusion which are unfortunately the hallmark of a modern health service in these “outsourced” times. But further more I think there is still a lack of understanding and compassion from the side of the medical establishment.
There is still a massive misconception that patients can be cured of depression and anxiety through medication. There is still a massive misconception that anxiety and depression are somehow not real health concerns.
More training, or a change in training is needed to improve healthcare professionals understanding of these conditions.
Until doctors, nurses and managers start to look at more than just the short term cost-effectiveness of treatment tragedies like this will continue to happen again and again.
