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Staff attitude to mental health emergency

Posted By doradoqp36

"Staff attitude to mental health emergency"

About: MHERL - Mental Health Emergency Response Line

(as a relative),

Recently I received a distressing message advising police had cut my child's other parent down from a tree.

I spoke to my ex-partner yesterday to arrange visitation of our child and didn't realise their voice was due to a suicide attempt.

I called the Mental Health Emergency Response Line and I was quite upset as this is the second attempt in a month.

I was very upset and asked if they can go and get my ex-partner and take them to hospital. I explained this person was my ex-partner, my child's other parent. 

The staff member was questioning me, saying I was romanticising about the attempts on my ex-partner's life and the attention etc. Like what the actual hell! I called you as I feel I can guarantee my ex-partner will end their life soon and I'm worried as they are a substance user and DV abuser. I believe the staff member's opinion was oh well. Legit disgusted in your service, let's hope my ex-partner doesn't do anything stupid when I believe you could have helped them!

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Responses

Response from Lesley Bennett, Chief Executive, East Metropolitan Health Service 4 years ago
Lesley Bennett
Chief Executive,
East Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 5/03/2020 at 2:05 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 2:11 PM

picture of Lesley Bennett

Dear doradoqp36,

I am deeply sorry to hear of your situation with your child’s other parent. This must be an extremely distressing time for you and your family. I sincerely apologise for the way staff spoke with you when you called the Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL). Please be assured that all MHERL staff are trained to be aware of the impact their communications can have and of the need to be sensitive and compassionate. The importance of respectful, compassionate communication will be reiterated to the team in light of your experience.

MHERL is a phone advice service to support people in times of mental health crisis and their role is to guide people in the community to the appropriate service or healthcare facility for their circumstances. MHERL does not have staff who can visit people in the community and transport them to hospital. However, what usually happens when people phone seeking a home visit is that they are advised to phone Police to request a welfare check on the person concerned.

I would like to reassure you that in Perth there is the Co-Response Mental Health Team, where mental health trained staff work closely with Police to attend people in the community who might benefit from mental health intervention. This team of people have the resources and legal authority to transport people to hospital for further mental health assessment if this is found to be required at the welfare check. I am so sorry if staff did not provide you with this advice when you called. This standard procedure will also be reiterated with the MHERL team.

It sounds as if you still have concerns for the welfare of your child’s other parent. Our senior mental health staff are also concerned and would like to provide some more specific support or advice. Therefore if you would like some help in identifying the appropriate community mental health service, please contact the Royal Perth Bentley Group Consumer Engagement Unit on 9224 1637 or by email at: RPBG.feedback@health.wa.gov.au from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday.

If you have concerns about the welfare of your child’s other parent out of business hours, it is recommended you contact Police on 131 444 or 000 if an emergency and let them know you need a welfare check done and that it may be a mental health crisis. I have also included a link to the Mental Health Commission information about finding services in case this is helpful. https://www.mhc.wa.gov.au/getting-help/

I would like to thank you for taking the time to let me know about your experience. It is so important that the MHERL service is safe, accessible and accurate in the vital service they provide to the community and I appreciate the opportunity to ensure we meet the very high standards we expect.

Sincerely,

Dr Lesley Bennett

Executive Director

Royal Perth Bentley Group

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by doradoqp36 (a relative)

Hi thanks for the reply.

I actually have now made 2 phone calls to the police since this post for welfare checks.

Second time, police spent hours looking for my ex-partner in Bushland, taken to the hospital just to be released. This time they actually wanted the help, said my ex-partner. They were released with no means of transport from the hospital late evening, no money and no place to go. Mental health system in WA is, in my opinion, a legit joke.

I will take your advice and call later the above number later today.

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