Figures Reveal ‘Alarming’ Rise in Injuries at Mental Health Units

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From The Guardian: Thousands of patients in NHS mental health units are injured every year when they are restrained by staff, according to new figures which campaigners have branded “horrifying.”

A total of 3,652 patients suffered an injury through being restrained during 2016-17 — the highest number ever — according to data from 48 of England’s 56 mental health trusts. The figures raise serious questions about the effectiveness of the government’s drive to reduce use of techniques which critics say can be traumatic for patients and even endanger their lives.

“Whilst this dramatic increase may be partly explained by improved reporting, the scale of injuries is horrifying. This is also, no doubt, in part due to the stress that many trusts are under, with bed occupancy close to 100% and often relying on agency staff,” said Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb. He was the health minister in the coalition government which in 2014 ordered NHS mental health trusts to reduce their use of restraint.

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Norman Lamb: ‘The scale of the injuries is horrifying.’ Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

 

4 COMMENTS

  1. “Figures Reveal ‘Alarming’ Rise in Injuries at Mental Health Units”

    There should be nothing “alarming” about “injuries” in “Mental Health Units.” “Mental Health Units” exist for the express purpose of injuring people. That’s what psychiatry is all about, namely, causing harm under the pretense of “therapy.”

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  2. And many thousands more are suffering life-changing and devastating physical injuries through undiagnosed and misdiagnosed adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to alleged “medications”:

    Brain and peripheral nervous system, Endocrine and hormonal system. Cardiac dysrhythmia’s / cardiodoxitiy. “Multi-modal” sexual dysfunction – includes sexual dysfunction changes that do not occur in mood disorders.
    Gastro-intestinal/hepatic injury – et al – et al.

    The prevalence of psychotropic drug induced akathisia and tardive dyskinesia is so great that these injuries appear to become invisible to prescribers and “ward” staff.
    Some prescribers still believe or proclaim that tardive dyskinesia “doesn’t happen on second generation antipsychotics”.

    Antipsychotic driven (compensatory) cigarette smoking adds to this morbidity and mortality.

    Premature ADR induced death.

    Antipsychotic induced pseudo-acne causes pain and disfigurement adding to the immense humiliation and social isolation and rejection.

    Then the psychological and social devastation: – Irreversible emotional, social, economic and relationship injury.

    Destruction of self worth and institutionally reinforced worthlessness. Extermination of future prospects.

    How many of those restrained and injured are demonstrating unrecognised, enforced-psychotropic drug induced intense agitation, intolerable akathisia and prescription drug induced violence against themselves and staff.

    Time for “ZERO-TOLERANCE” policy re failure to avoid medication induced violence?

    What an appalling, avoidable human tragedy.

    TRM 123. Retired Consultant Physician.

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    • Dear doctor: I am reading all your comments. Everything you have described coincides with everything that has been happening to me for many, many years.
      Nobody believes me and above all they don’t want to tell me what medications they are giving me, I know they are antipsychotics, and ect…
      To make matters worse, in my family there are a lot of doctors.
      They don’t pay any attention to me.

      It is very sad

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