Both a service user and the family members of another unrelated service user have spoken out about what they deem to be a “broken system” at Craigavon’s Bluestone Unit.
Each party cites “quick” and “unsafe” discharges as their primary concern.
Armagh I were initially contacted by the parents of a 29-year-old man with ongoing mental health problems back in July who said they were “waiting for news that he is dead” following what they describe as a period of “repeated and quick” discharges from the facility.
Related: ‘We’re waiting on police saying he’s dead’ say parents of Craigavon man in ‘crisis’
As the weeks passed and their son’s condition continued to deteriorate they say he ended up detained in Maghaberry Prison for a period of six weeks for “his own safety and the safety of others.”
They are now calling for him to be treated outside the Southern Health & Social Care Trust area after discovering that he could be released from prison and sent back to, what they refer to as, “the lion’s den” at Craigavon’s Bluestone Unit.
Before he began to deteriorate, their son had enjoyed approximately seven years of relative stability; completing a Master’s Degree in 2023.
His diagnosis of bipolar disorder was then overturned in favour of personality disorder and his previous medication withdrawn which his parents believe has caused him to experience manic episodes and exhibit erratic and destructive behaviours.
Despite their repeated contact with the Southern Trust, Bluestone Unit and other mental health services they say there is no movement on the belief that their son “has capacity” effectively rendering his involvement with mental health services as ‘voluntary’ rather than necessary.
Providing an update on their son’s condition they told Armagh I: “Alliance are trying to push to get him sent to Downpatrick because they have an intensive care unit there.
“We have been through hell with Bluestone and it would be detrimental to his health to be sent back there.
“He’s sat there [HMP Maghaberry] for six weeks and he’s not engaging with us now, he doesn’t wash and he’s gone really extreme now. He doesn’t engage with anybody.”
In an apparent corroboration of the couple’s complaint another service user reached out to Armagh I just days ago to express her own dissatisfaction with the services.
Of her most recent experience she said: “I have had numerous attempts at taking my own life and have really struggled to get a bed in the place and sent home still highly suicidal and unable to keep myself safe.
“The nursing staff cannot be faulted. This goes above them. This goes right to the top.
“We are sent back out to community teams who can’t cope with the volume of patients.
“I am not here to slander anyone or anything but the system is completely broken.
“People are losing their lives by suicide but when they express they are suicidal they are told ‘it’s your own personal responsibility and that’s your choice, you have capacity’ and so on.”
When contacted for comment a spokesperson for the Southern Health & Social Care Trust said: “Our dedicated mental health staff are very experienced in professionally assessing people with complex conditions and offering intervention as required, based on clinical need.
“Demand for mental health services continues to grow significantly across Northern Ireland and this presents a significant daily challenge for health and social care services not only in our Trust but across the region.
“We encourage any patient/family member with concerns about our services to contact our Service User Feedback team so that each concern/complaint can be fully investigated and responded to as appropriate.”
