"A & E help for Mental Health Problems"

On Saturday 5th March 2016 I called for an Ambulance to my Mothers Care Home we were taken to Scarborough A & E . The care that the Ambulance staff gave was exceptional. By the time we arrvied at Scarborough my Mothers mental state had declined considerably. Mother was very distressed and making a considerable amount of noise screaming "Kill me "and we had to restrain her from getting to her feet.

The A & E staff did there very best to check her for physical problems of which she had none and they did get a room sorted for me to be able to contain her from from causing problems in the unit.

After a considerable amount of time they seemed to be having problems with the Mental Health Crisis teams ability to get some help for me. I then agreed for some sedation of my mother as things had reached a difficult point.

I have been a carer for my Mother all my life I know that one small tablet of Diazepam will only help for a short time .

While my Mother was sedated a number of phone calls were again made I was asked to talk to a Social Worker at 9.30pm.

This conversation lead to the fact that she felt A&E was not an appropraite place to assess my Mother and I should take her back the 26 miles to the care home as she had heard my Mother was calm and evaluation of the situation would take place later! The NY councils documents on line show a phone call is all that may be needed for a patient to be admitted to a secure unit.

Mother had awoken from the sedation and I and a nurse had to physically force my Mother along the Unit outside to my sons car. I then had to travel all the way back to the Care Home with her screaming .I stayed over restraining her until sunday morning when I once again cried for help. This time even resorting to calling the Police to have her arrested.

Please can you thank the

A & E staff for all there hard work on Saturday night I am going to do my best to try to get the systems for the Mental Health Sufferers a better service from Social Services and Crisis Teams so not to have to suffer as I and my Mother did.