First mental health ER in Canada

[just mary]

Hello,

We're in the middle of an election in my province right now and one of the parties has promised to build the first mental health ER in Canada, as follows:

from party website:

Establishing a new free-standing Mental Health Crisis Response Centre next to Health Sciences Centre?the first of its kind in Canada?to provide specialized care for up to 10,000 mental health patients who visit traditional ERs each year.

CBC news story:

NDP Leader Gary Doer is promising to set up an emergency room in Winnipeg devoted entirely to mental health patients, the first of its kind in Canada.

The pledge is part of the health-care platform Doer is promising if he's re-elected as premier in the May 22 Manitoba election.

Doer said the new mental health facility would take the burden off regular emergency rooms, which currently attend to 10,000 mental health patients a year.

"People are appearing at the emergency ward and we think we can do a better job on patient care with that," Doer said Wednesday.

Doer said the facility, which would cost $2 million to set up and $4 million a year to operate, would be built near the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. It would be staffed with psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, social workers and other specialists.

Doer's other health-care pledges include increasing the number of medical residents in pediatric care, oncology, hematology and clinical research, and increasing the number of emergency room doctor training seats to 13 from five.

Doer would also establish community teaching sites at four Winnipeg hospitals ? Grace, Concordia, Victoria and Seven Oaks.

What are your thoughts on this? It sounds like a good idea to me but do you think it is?

Just curious.

jm

 

[David Baxter PhD]

At this point in my life, especially living in Ontario where our esteemed premier, Dalton McGuinty, managed to break a record 100 election promises in the first 100 days of office, I have absolutely no faith in politicians any more.

If it actually materializes, it sounds like a great idea.

 

[Mari]

Sounds good to me. The following is from an article in the local paper on Emergency Room services here. "The ER should not be a refuge for people seeking attention, for those who need mental health care or other social services." When I read this I turned red with anger.

One of the reasons my son died is because he needed mental health care and did not receive it. Now when I think back I realize that in over twenty years of health care visits with my children I can not recall a single medical professional ever asking about their mental health. I find that walk-in clinics in the Toronto area are much better than hospital emergency rooms but unfortunately most of them are not open past 10pm.

I do not know the solutions for integrating physical and mental health services but I am sure that there are solutions. Who was voted the 'Greatest Canadian' in 2004? Maybe there is hope. :heart: Mari

 

[Into The Light]

i'm quite intrigued by the idea, the only thing i wondered about is if it would add more stigma or not but who knows. maybe it would reduce the stigma?

i think it would be good because mental health would be the primary focus, which is what people in distress need.

 

[just mary]

I have absolutely no faith in politicians any more.

If it actually materializes, it sounds like a great idea.

I know, neither do I, but it is an interesting idea. Actually, the opposing party just promised a whole bunch of spots for drug abusers. Elections are so tiring.

I think the idea is good since we have had a couple of incidents over the past year that deal with people who had obvious mental health problems. If these people had proper supports, the tragedies could have been avoided.

One person explained how he was in a state that required mental health practioners but first he had to go to emergency, then he had to see a nurse, who sent him to an Emergency room doctor, who in turn made a request to see a psychiatrist, the whole process took 12 hours because it wasn't life threatening.

jmho,

jm

 

[iam*who*iam]

i really wish BC would have something like that. i have gone to the ER a few times in the last year, in severe crisis, and they just sent me home.

they almost killed me 4-5 yrs. ago because they sent me home, thinking my stomach pain was 'in my head', and i went back the next day, and my appendix burst over night. i had 20 mins. to live by the time i got there.

i'm currently waiting for someone from the health authority here, to get back to me, so i can share my experiences with them, just so they know what really goes on in the ER for people with mental health issues.

it's very scary...and i wish they would pay more attention, and be a bit more compassionate.

people do not go to the ER for attention..at least, not me..

they failed me, when i really needed help.

i just pray it never happens again..

 

[NicNak]

Something simular, but less sever happened to me too, when I went to the emerg with pains in my left side. The left me in agony for 6 hours without being seen by a doctor.

After my urine test came back, the doctor told me I had a bladder infection and sent me home with anti-biotics. When I asked how I would get a blatter infection she told me "possably from having sex" I told her I was not active and she litterally looked at me and said "ahh, yeah" like she didn't believe me.

I was back the next week with pains. The next doctor was awsome. Turned out I had a lodged kidney stone in my tract. I opted for micro surgery to remove it.

When they were admitting me I told them I was on Luvox and had OCD. She wrote in huge letters in this box on a paper OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOUR.

I understand they have to know these things, but I felt quite embarassed about that.

I felt like the first doctor just thought I was being "dramatic". Although I believed I was quite composed considering the pain I was in.

I have to say though, since my diagnosis, I have noticed an improvement in the way medical professionals are toward me and me having mental illness.