Monitoring Failure

However, statistics show that 96% of suicides occur in the community and that 74% of people committing suicide have not had any contact with mental health care professionals in the 12 months prior to their death. It is very important though that those who are receiving mental health care in the community or in a mental health facility are appropriately monitored for any deterioration in their condition.

Patients should be monitored not only for signs of deterioration in their psychological condition but also for deterioration of their physical condition. We have been contacted on many occasions by clients who have suffered adverse reactions to medication they have been prescribed with, in some cases, catastrophic consequences, because their physical deterioration has not been noticed.