A health trust which was criticised by Southend MP David Amess has hit back and accused him of using words which stigmatise mental health patients.
Oh noes! What did he say?
In his speech, Mr Amess said the trust had allowed a suicidal Rochford Hospital patient and another person to “escape” from the hospital recently.
He said: “I want to ask how the staff on duty at the time, bearing in mind that these patients have fragile minds, allowed two patients to escape from a secure unit. What has happened is absolutely disgraceful.”
So…what’s the trust’s beef with this? It uses no pejorative language.
But the trust spokeswoman said that South Essex Partnership Trust services weren’t the ones involved in the incident and added: “The trust fully supports the anti-stigma campaign surrounding mental health and objects strongly to use of the terminology ‘escape’ in this context.
“The majority of mental health patients are informal and are, rightly, at liberty to leave or be discharged from hospital.”
Except, of course, for those in a secure unit. Were these two in one? Because if so, then ‘escape’ is the right word.
Either the patient 'escaped', or, certain members of staff were in dereliction of their duty in allowing a patient to discharge himself without them completing the correct administrative formalities.
ReplyDeleteBTW if a 'mental' patient "escapes" from a secure unit, is that a Catch-22 'proof' that he's not 'mental'? Just askin'.
:D
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