I have a relative who was sectioned under 37/412 of the Mental Health Act.They have been in and out of a few hospitals for around 15 years now.When they are making progress,they are then transferred to another hospital where they are told the treatment is different, and put them back.

They have not had any leave for over a year whereas they used to get escorted leave regularly just like many of the other patients.

My relative was told they had to take a specific medication before they were allowed leave,but after several administrations of the medication, they were feeling numb, having severe headaches and put on an excessive amount of weight.They refused to take any more medication.

It has now transpired that they were told,"If you don't take your medication, then you will have no leave of any sort for 3 years".

Surely this is an act of coercion/Coercive persuasion, or even blackmail?.

The current newly appointed doctor was surprised to learn that my relative has been locked away for nearly 16 years, whereas a person with the same or similar diagnoses is released within around 7 years of treatment.

It seems to me that this hospital(which has been taken over twice in under 10 years), are only in it for the money whether the patients are fit to go back into society or not.

Does the current law on Coercion and blackmail cover mental patients??

Is there any thing I can do like contacting the Ministry of justice and be a voice for my relative?.

Hi

Have a wee look at this link: https://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/police-courts-prison/section-37-41-hospital-order-given-by-crown-court

What was their index offence, and was the order made by the Crown Court?.

Have they approached the Mental Health Review Tribunal, and have they had advice from an Independent Mental Health Advocate?.

https://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/rights-restrictions/advocacy/types

The current newly appointed doctor was surprised to learn that my relative has been locked away for nearly 16 years, whereas a person with the same or similar diagnoses is released within around 7 years of treatment.

Wouldn't that depend on their response to treatment, and if they were felt to still be a risk to themselves or others?.

Thank You for the replies so far.

Stu007,

The link was very helpful.

It was my relatives mother who requested the court sections the defendant as she believed they would get better treatment in a hospital than go to prison, get no treatment and be released after several years.

The courts decided to grant her request.

She is now regretting that decision.

BazzaS,

my relative was released on day release without supervision on a regular basis when they were in a hospital in Wales.

They were making good progress when the hospital decided to move them to a hospital in Nottingham.

They were there for around a year, and were then transferred to a hospital in Clifton, Nottingham, where they have been ever since.

If my relative doesn't go along with the staffs orders, or doesn't play the system, they are then marked down, put onto another wing, have all their priveleges stopped.

Now they are told that they will not get any leave, whether escorted or unescorted for 3 years.

I am sure the staff do this on purpose to wind up the patients so they lose their temper, create havoc, cause criminal damage etc,

then the staff puts it down in a "Naughty Book", and the patient is marked down.

The staff use this as an excuse to say the patient is still mentally unstable.

Hi newmoses

The link that both BazzaS and myself have posted I think you could do with having a wee chat with them to see what advice/assistance they may be able to offer you in these circumstances, look at this link:

https://www.rethink.org/about-us/contact-us