Deceased ‘failed by system’
A Palmerston North man told his mum he could not cope anymore.
It was one of the last things he said to her before being found dead.
Chris Briggs, 29, was taken to Palmerston North Hospital on February 11, but discharged after four hours – deemed not to be a suicide risk.
He died in a suspected suicide about three hours after he was released.
The hospital is standing by its assessment processes and has urged people to still come to its emergency department if they need help.
Alison Briggs said her son was failed repeatedly by the mental health system.
His discharge from hospital that day was just the final domino to fall, she said.
‘‘The crisis team talked to him for about half an hour, then discharged him home. I thought he would be admitted to ward 21, but they thought there was nothing wrong with him.’’
He went to hospital at 11.30am and was released to his father’s house at 4pm. By 7.30pm, he was dead.
Demand for mental health care has increased by at least 20 per cent over the past two to three years in the Midcentral district, according to the district health board.
Chris Briggs had a long history of struggles – he had OCD, aspergers, and suffered from anxiety.
‘‘He had been having trouble, we’d been to doctors, been to councillors,’’ his mother said.
On the day he died, Chris had been experiencing toothache and took multiple Tramadol pain medication tablets.
His mother thinks that caused him an anxiety attack he could not deal with.
‘‘He’d always told me if his medication didn’t work, he’d kill himself.’’
Chris Briggs called an ambulance ‘‘because that was all he could think to do’’, she said.
‘‘He got in the ambulance and said ‘mum I can’t cope anymore’.
‘‘It was the worst I’d ever seen him.’’
The experience had left its mark. ‘‘It changes you as a mum.’’ Chris Briggs was a gentle soul, she said.
‘‘He’d help anyone. He was a good kid and he tried really hard."
She did not have the ability to
help him deal with his problems
‘‘I was blown out. I’m not a professional.’’
She had been trying to get him a support worker, but one never eventuated.
Midcentral DHB mental health and addiction services service director Christopher Nolan said the assessment and clinical decisions were reviewed by other clinicians.
‘‘They consider the decision to continue treatment at home with planned, close follow-up was appropriate.’’
All patients would have a comprehensive assessment, including a risk assessment.
A person going to the emergency department was given a full medical assessment, too.
The assessment looked at someone’s current situation, history, medication, environment, previous treatment and social and family information.
Nolan said a very small number of these people were admitted involuntarily under the Mental Health Act.
The majority received treatment and support close to, or at, home.
They had taken on board the feedback from the Briggs family.