My friend was sent to the Emergency Department because they were feeling suicidal but had to wait four hours for the CATT (Crisis Assessment Treatment Team) to arrive and couldn't even speak to one of the mental health staff already at the hospital in the meantime. When they finally spoke to my friend, all they did was give them a valium and tell them to sleep it off and go to a GP tomorrow, knowing my friend has been self-harming and has an extensive history of suicide attempts. My friend told them that they were going to kill themselves that night and they said - well you've been able to wait here four hours so it must not be that important - and sent my friend away. The service and lack of care is completely unacceptable and disturbing to think that when someone is crying for help they get dismissed and not taken seriously. Mental health services are there to prevent suicide before it happens, not when it is too late.
"Appalling service"
About: Dandenong Hospital Dandenong Hospital Dandenong 3175
Posted by upsetbee (as ),
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