Mother speaks out after daughter's suicide
By Richard Morgan
A Belfast mother has asked why mental health services are at the bottom of the pile after her daughter's suicide in March this year.
Sarah, whose name we've changed to protect her identity, believes more could have been done to intervene and address the 20 year old's mental illness.
"When she presented to A&E, she saw the crisis response team and by this stage she was self harming and suicidal yet she came home with me.
"I don't have any medical knowledge or experience.
"The lack of funding is the primary issue as no funding means no beds. Even amongst staff I met, there was a sense of exhaustion and frustration. They're overwhelmed by the number of folk who come through the door.
"This one size fits all policy really doesn't work."
Sarah told Downtown & Cool FM a report by her daughter's psychiatrist clearly stated the 20 year old was 'chronically suicidal' but would not attend the service offered.
"I found that remarkable, because if you are the patient, the clue is in the word. You are the patient," Sarah continued.
The Belfast woman believes it got to the stage where her daughter could not be helped as professionals had failed to get through.
"My daughter had a plan, her mental illness was such she had a plan. She couldn't see outside her bubble she was trapped in.
"Some people suffer from cancer, heart disease, a broken leg but all people have a brain and can suffer from mental health problems.
"I don't know when the shift happened, when suddenly mental health went to the bottom of the list."
And on the process of giving a person who presents with suicidal ideations a card to phone Lifeline, Sarah had this to say:
"My daughter was not going to lift a phone. She wanted to die. The bubble around her had thickened too much. The professionals around her hadn't been able to get through as there was not enough input so ringing Lifeline was never an option."
Sarah is now involved with north Belfast charity PIPS which works to prevent suicide and self harm in the community.
The organisation offers a range of support and services for vulnerable people and their families.
She praised the work they do:
"I would suggest for anyone to take a run up and have a look at the facilities as they are outstanding.
"They have an open door policy. It won't work for all, my daughter may not have gone there but had I known about them however, the support they've given me as a lay person may have helped me save my daughter's life.
"They offer counselling, crisis response, complimentary therapies, family support and education and training courses.
"Mental health services are considered to be the Cinderella of services, PIPS are offering much more than that.
"PIPS are not funded by any government body, they rely totally on donations."
In a statement the Department of Health said it is always trying to improve services.
"In 2013/14, £247m was invested in mental health services - an increase of £7m from 2012/13.
"The Department remains committed to improving mental health care in Northern Ireland, including access to psychological interventions and therapies.
"Increasing access to appropriate talking therapies in primary care, and ensuring mental health services are delivered in line with the Regional Mental Health Care Pathway (which was published last year) will help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues and improve patient experience.
"The Department is leading work to ensure that resources are directed appropriately, fragmentation of services is reduced, and that the views and experiences of service users inform the future direction of mental health provision in Northern Ireland.”
If you want to speak to us about your experience with mental illness you can email us at news@downtown.co.uk