Decision report 201003602

Summary
Mr C, an advocate, complained that the board failed to provide reasonable care and treatment to Mr A from March until June 2009 and, as a result, Mr A became increasingly vulnerable and was forced to move to another health board for alternative treatment. Mr A accessed mental health services for treatment when he became mentally unwell in March 2009. Mr C said that the board had failed to diagnose Mr A's psychotic depression and provide appropriate treatment. He also complained about the board's decisions to discharge Mr A on four occasions and that the communication between the board and Mr A and his wife was inadequate. Finally, he complained about a psychiatrist's assessment of Mr A as fit to plead in court and the follow-up arrangements following his final discharge in June 2009. Mr A said that he had moved to another health board who diagnosed psychotic depression and treated him with electroconvulsive therapy. Mr A said the treatment was successful.

We did not uphold the complaint because we found that all the board's actions in managing Mr A's mental illness were reasonable.