Sectioning Under Mental Health Act

RFMS

I think I will call Mind first and then based on the advice inform the police of my concerns. As difficult this is to accept it seems that this is all I can do.

fed_up_and_stressed

Have anyone contacted the MH services of the country he is in ? They may be able to help ?

Nicki

Why is it difficult to accept?

Would you be happy if on a visit to relatives in another part of the UK where you know no one else, a relative could pick up the phone and have you incarcerated in a mental hospital for 28 days with drugs and even possibly ECT being administered without your consent?

All you have to go on at the moment is hearsay. If your husband returns to the UK and is in poor mental health and a danger to himself or others, then you can notify the police who have the power to detain him briefly and have him seen by a psychiatrist who then has the power to section him. That decision will be reviewed regularly at mental health review tribunals where your relative has the right to be heard and legally represented. This is a safeguard to everyone's civil liberties.

If he is not a danger to himself or others he has a right not to access mental health help however odd his behaviour is or even upsetting for family members just like a cancer patient could decline chemo or you could choose whether or not to take painkillers for a persistent pain condition.

ripplyuk

I would let it be. If his wife feels in danger, then she can call the police and/or leave him.

Do you know what it's like in a psychiatric unit? I wouldn't be wanting to get anyone sectioned. He will soon get out again and it will have completely destroyed any relationship you have with him.

RFMS

Just to be clear, and as per my original post, it is not hearsay. I have seen it, his wife has seen it (Nicki he is not my husband - he is my relative), and others have seen it.

I admit it has been a couple of years since I have seen it. But his wife and others around him have told me it what they are seeing and it's the same if not worse then when I saw it happening.

The behaviors are as said: Extreme paranoia, obsessive compulsive habits, intrusive thoughts and generally abnormal behaviors.

ripplyuk - I do not know what it is like, but I want him to get assessed.

Nicky - I do not see why it would be wrong, if seeing behaviors, repeatedly and worsening over time, and believe it could lead to dangerous level, why I cannot call a doctor to explain what I have seen and if the doctor agree's. to have him at least assessed even f he currently doesn't pose a danger but believe there is a real possibility he is likely to be in the future. Then to allow the professionals to decide if he needs an assessment.

If someone had called a doctor on my behalf in this situation, I would comply with an assessment.

RFMS

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

Have anyone contacted the MH services of the country he is in ? They may be able to help ?

Hello - I have yes, as well as the local police but his wife needs to press charges with the police for the process to start, and from what I was told by the local MH services they would not usually seek to treat a British national in favor of deporting them back to the UK for us to deal with it.

tomtontom

RFMS wrote: »

Due to the situation, she has been advised that they are likely to deport him to the UK either after spending time in prison or directly. However this country is unlikely to treat his mental health issue.

It is unlikely he will be deported due to a mental health condition or due to threats of violence. Even if he committed a crime it would need to be extremely serious to warrant deportation from another EU country, otherwise it would be contrary to human rights law.

Why is it unlikely the country will offer him treatment? Which country are you referring to?

RFMS

tomtontom wrote: »

It is unlikely he will be deported due to a mental health condition or due to threats of violence. Even if he committed a crime it would need to be extremely serious to warrant deportation from another EU country, otherwise it would be contrary to human rights law.

Why is it unlikely the country will offer him treatment?

Correct, the main reason, and the reason for going to the local police is because of the threatening behavior and pulling the knife on his wife (as per OP). He also has mh challenges which is why he needs help. According to the police in that country they would deport him on the basis of the knife incident, possibly after spending time in jail in that country. That's if he is found guilty.
The MH people I called in that country said they offer long term treatment to residents or nationals. That is all I was told.

Nicki

Gosh. This is just like Minority Report!

It is hearsay if you are relying on what you have been told by others rather than what you have witnessed directly. Anything you saw a year or more ago is not relevant as to whether he is an imminent risk to himself or others. What he might do at some indefinite point in the future is also not relevant. His mental health can improve as well as deteriorate you know.

You cannot force treatment on anyone for any illness unless they are imminently suicidal or imminently likely to hurt someone else. By imminently I mean within hours/days not maybe sometime if the wind is blowing the right way.

Someone else has already posted that mental hospitals are frightening and hard places to be especially by force and unable to leave. If you can't understand the civil liberties issues here, I despair.

Errata

Wait until he returns to the UK, if he does, and dial 999 if you find his behaviour personally observed by you dangerous to himself or others.