‘No cost’ in constables losing sectioning role
Friday 14th August 2009, 1:00PM BST.
SHIFTING responsibility for sectioning mental health patients from parish constables to social workers will not incur extra cost, according to deputy Health minister Barry Brehaut.
When someone was deemed to have possible mental health issues and no family were on hand, the constables have historically mediated between the patient and the authorities.
Deputy Brehaut said that in order for someone to be sectioned two doctors would have to give their findings, as well as next of kin. A constable would be involved only if there was no appropriate family members available.
Under the new mental health law, social workers would take on that role.
Deputy Barry Paint, who is also senior constable of Castel, was concerned there would be cost implications.
But Deputy Brehaut dismissed that fear.
‘It would be at no extra cost because an existing post would carry out that role,’ he said.
‘A social worker with background in mental health would determine the patient’s care path in the absence of a next of kin.’
He said it was high time the system was changed.
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So if in the future extra cost is needed, even though the deputy has said there will not be.—
Then can we expect a resignation for perhaps falser information.
Let’s get this business of States information sorted out; it seems they vie with each other to assure the public- it seems to me that they frighten, rather than calm things.
Sincerely hope that one day we will get real people not amateurs to run the shop.
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It worries me a little that all the people responsible for taking away someone’s liberty will now be dependent on the States for their livelihood. I would be happier if I knew there was a respected person outside the States departmental system involved in any decision to put me away.
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This is such a difficult decision isn’t it? Do we modernise the mental health care or do we continue to allow parish stalwarts to section people in between issuing dog licences and walking the douits?
It’s such an obvious decision by HSSD it hardly merits a story.
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Well put Neil.
Frankly it’s horrific that this highly responsible role was not transferred from the parishes to the professionals many decades ago.
Get back to your hedges and douits and street lights Constable Paint. That’s about all you’re truly qualified for!
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Neil – absolutely right
I am sure that the Constables mean well but when I heard about this I was amazed that in the 21st century we still had untrained elected parishoners acting in a role requiring specialist expertise.
It is a job for health professionals. Cost doesn’t even come into it.
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I’m not sure what “specialist expertise” we’re talking about?
Sectioning is done by 2 doctors plus some kind of representative for the patient.
In case no family is available for to represent you, you would get a constable, and will now get a social worker. This person, like a family member, is not expected to have specialist mental health expertise. Constables never had the doctor’s role!
Agree it doesn’t merit a story.
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