Families must be consulted about suicide risk

Medical professionals should advise and consult with families of those at risk of suicide as there is mounting evidence that failure to do so is costing lives, according to Fine Gael mental health spokesperson, Dan Neville TD.
 
Mr Neville said he is regularly contacted by people whose family members died by suicide shortly after being discharged from short stays in hospital without relatives being involved or being advised on the suicide risk.
 
“I have been contacted by a mother whose son was taken by the Gardaí to a psychiatric unit with a letter from a doctor stating that he was a high suicide risk. He was initially admitted as an involuntary patient, but this was changed by the psychiatric consultant to voluntary status and he was discharged less than 24 hours after admission. Five days afterwards he died by suicide,” Mr Neville said.
 
According to Mr Neville, at no time was his mother or any family member contacted by hospital staff with information on his condition or on whether he had suicidal thoughts.
 
“The family believe that, because he was discharged so quickly and because, as the hospital admitted, the doctor who discharged him only had a five to 10 minute discussion with him before the discharge, their son lost his life,” Mr Neville said.
 
Mr Neville explained that many progressive psychiatrists ensure that family and immediate carers are fully advised on how best to deal with a psychiatric patient after discharge.
 
“I believe that some psychiatrists hide behind doctor patient confidentiality and state that this prohibits them from talking to relatives and imparting the vital information which might have saved a life. A very prominent psychiatrist has described this to me as a ‘load of dangerous nonsense’,” Mr Neville said.
 
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has stated the importance of informing relatives of the risk of suicide in their loved ones and educating them on the warning signs of suicide, Mr Neville said.
 
“In treating the patient in danger of suicide, families must be kept informed as they are the most important allies in helping to prevent such suicides. The APA considered that giving this information would not be a breach of medical ethics and that doctors could not, or would not, be sued for this given that a life and death issue is involved,” he said.
 
Mr Neville added that in the area of general medicine, consultants and doctors are very open with relatives in the care of patients, and the same should apply in the care of mental health.
 
“Research shows that 90% of people who end their lives by suicide are suffering from a mental illness. Given that a patient can be detained on the grounds that, due to mental illness, they are a danger to themselves or others, the Mental Health Act is not a barrier in determining whether a suicidal person should be held for observation and treatment until the crisis has passed,” Mr Neville said.

[Posted: Wed 19/08/2009]