"Early discharge"

My sibling was admitted into Ward 5A recently. The combination of having suffered a stroke 1.5 years ago and suffering with severe Ankylosing spondylitis has impeded their ability to walk and perform everyday tasks. This has understandably exacerbated their depressive state.

My sibling asked for anti-depressants and made a suicidal comment to the doctors/nurses in Ward 5A and was asked if they wanted to see a psychiatrist. My other sibling and I have been wanting my sibling to get help for their mental health for years now (before the stroke), so I was extremely pleased to hear that they had finally agreed to this.

Unfortunately, I felt my sibling did not get the help they so desperately needed. The OT and physiotherapist decided that because my sibling was able to walk again, they were ready to go home (the same day that they were moved to Ward 6B). Not only was my sibling waiting for a psychiatrist, but the rheumatologist indicated that they were going to continue working with my sibling on pain management, and a social worker was due to return to assist with an NDIS application.

How can a patient who told the hospital staff that they wanted to die, be released without any psychiatric assessment? How can an OT and physio be the deciders on who gets released? Was my sibling released just because it was a Friday and perhaps the staff didn't want to deal with them over the weekend?

With my sibling, it is not as simple as admitting them to hospital with depression, they would not agree to this. They need to be in the system already and have mental health as a part of their overall recovery plan. I am extremely upset and disappointed that the public health care system feel has let us down.

And so you know, my sibling was not ready to go home (just as they weren't 1.5 years ago post-stroke). My parent has to care for them, so they have lost the ability to have their own life now, too.