Statistics from Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust show that, in the last year, 51 people in the city were treated with the controversial therapy, of which 22 were detained against their will.

According to guidelines from the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), the treatment should only be used for severe depression where a life is at risk.

But the Birmingham figures show it was also given to catatonic and prolonged manic cases.

A trust spokesman said it was difficult to quantify the effectiveness of ECT as it was given in conjunction with other therapies.

Michael Dunn, aged 59, of Erdington, was first treated after attempting suicide in his teens.

Diagnosed with bipolar at Highcroft Hospital, in Erdington, he was administered a weekly course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Over the next 20 years, he received the treatment more than 20 times.

Michael said it was only effective in the short term at jolting him out of his depression and the more he had it, the less effective it was.

What’s more, it left him with severe memory loss. “I feel like I’ve had parts of my life blanked out. There’s whole chunks that I can’t remember,” he said.

“I suppose it did lift the depression for a short while but it always came back.

“I would never have it again. I have found that just talking to people and taking medication has been far more effective.

“In this day and age, it shouldn’t be used. It’s barbaric.”

Dr Andrew McCulloch, from the MHF, said it should only be used “as a last resort”.

“It can have very serious side-effects, including memory loss, yet it can lift a person quickly out of a life-threatening depression,” he said.

In Birmingham, the treatment is used at the Oleaster unit, at the Queen Elizabeth hospital. The unit is currently undergoing its three-year audit by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

URL: http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2011/05/05/electric-shock-therapy-blanked-out-parts-of-my-life-says-erdington-man-97319-28638091/

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NAPA, Calif — A six-month Cal-OSHA investigation triggered by the murder of a psychiatric technician has found several safety inadequacies at the troubled Napa State Hospital and levied more than $100,000 in fines, according to documents released to KTVU Wednesday.

The state agency found the violations while investigating the circumstances behind the murder of Donna Gross at the hospital last October.

Cal-OSHA said it found a “lack of adequate employee alarm systems on the units, non-existent alarm systems in the STA outside of the units, inadequate police presence in the event of assaults, no enforcement of written policies …by the employer, and an ineffective Injury and Illness Prevention program.”

The hospital was ordered to correct specific violations, by either April 25 or May 15, depending on the type of violation.

The hospital can appeal the fine, but must correct the violations, state officials said.

Meanwhile two California lawmakers were decrying safety conditions at state-run mental hospitals and calling on the governor to push for immediate improvements.

State Sen. Noreen Evans and Assemblyman Michael Allen in a letter Tuesday called the level of violence at Napa State Hospital and others “unacceptable.”

On Monday night, a hospital patient died when he was subdued after he allegedly attacked his roommate, a Napa County sheriff’s captain said.

William Roebling, 47, allegedly attacked another patient in ward T-12 at the hospital just after 5 p.m. Monday, Capt. Tracey Stuart said.

Roebling died when psychiatric technicians intervened in the attack and subdued him, Stuart said.

Roebling was given CPR, but he was pronounced dead at 5:43 p.m., Stuart said. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

The patient who was attacked was not injured, Stuart said.

Roebling was being held in a secure area of the hospital, indicating he was not at the hospital under a civil commitment, Stuart said.

Hospital staff members have renewed calls for increased security at the hospital since Gross’ death in an outdoor courtyard on Oct.23.

Patient Jess Williard Massey, 37, is suspected of strangling Gross and stealing her jewelry, some gum and less than $2. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 2 in Napa County Superior Court.

Since the murder, two other Napa State Hospital patients who were charged separately with assaulting hospital employees have been found incompetent to stand trial and were ordered back to mental health hospitals.

URL: http://www.ktvu.com/news/27534002/detail.html
Related story: Patient dies at Napa State Hospital

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Complaints about the ill-treatment of patients on psychiatric wards in WA hospitals have been referred to the Corruption and Crime Commission for investigation.

Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said allegations made in a report by a patient advocacy group could be criminal offences if they were found to breach the Mental Health Act.

Ms Morton said the alleged incidents passed on to the CCC, which investigates misconduct in the public sector, concerned unlawful solitary confinement and the treatment of voluntary patients.

“There’s a section in the Act that I take quite seriously. Section 162 is about the requirement for people who have responsibility for a person with a mental illness as regards interaction with these people. If there is neglect and abuse, it is a criminal offence. That is a requirement that I will make sure we follow up on,” she said.

A person found guilty of ill-treating or wilfully neglecting a patient for whom they have any responsibility faces a $4000 fine or one year in jail under Section 162 of the Mental Health Act.

The Council of Official Visitors said in its latest report that a psychiatric patient was put into seclusion for five and a half days.

“The seclusion was not for the protection or safety of the consumer or anyone else but was being used as a behavioural management tool,” the report said.

It added that the seclusion was in breach of the Mental Health Act and went against current Australian practice and guidelines.

Ms Morton said the report showed there was a need for cultural and attitudinal change amongst staff in WA’s mental healthcare system.

“It’s all about being absolutely clear that some of the processes that have taken place in the past cannot continue, in particular those issues around voluntary patients,” she said.
Council head Debora Colvin said legislative change was needed so that official visitors could advocate for voluntary patients as well ensure quality service and accountability.

URL: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9121953/ccc-to-probe-psych-ward-abuse/

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State medical authorities have suspended the license of a Seattle psychiatrist accused of having sex with two female patients and disclosing the contents of their therapy sessions to other patients.

The Medical Quality Assurance Commission said Richard Adamson, credentialed since 1981, had sexual relationships with the women, who saw him from about 2004 to 2009. One woman suffered from depression and told Adamson she had been sexually abused by her father.

Adamson treated her for about four years, during which he frequently had sex with her in his office, the board said. The woman left her husband while she was seeing Adamson and the two also met at her apartment, according to the board.

The woman was a family practice doctor and Adamson did some business consulting for her, further violating laws on doctor-patient boundaries, state officials said.

The relationship ended when Adamson told the woman he was “obsessed” with “another younger married woman,” with whom he had had phone sex and “instant messaging sex,” according to officials.

“Given Patient A’s history of sexual abuse from her father, this communication was abusive and potentially harmful to Patient A,” said state medical charging documents.

Adamson’s other alleged victim was a patient who suffered from anxiety caused by a stressful divorce. During treatment, the patient and doctor developed feelings for one another and began a sexual relationship, the commission said.

But officials said that relationship ended when Adamson told her he was having sex with “numerous other women.”

Adamson is also accused of revealing personal details to his patients about his own marital counseling and wife’s suicide. He also allegedly disclosed the contents of the women’s therapy sessions to other patients.

The state’s suspension was an emergency order issued because officials believe Adamson is an “immediate danger” to the public. He has 20 days to respond to the charges and request a hearing.
Vanessa Ho can be reached at 206-448-8003 or vanessaho@seattlepi.com.
Follow Vanessa on Twitter at twitter.com/vanessaho.

URL: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/437952_psychiatrist30.html

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I’ve found this inspiring video on YouTube, and it personally hit a home run. It reminded me back when I was imprisoned in the psychiatric hospital, and that their was no way that I would be able to be released unless if I do everything that the “doctor” or nurse tells me. I was subject to take dangerous drugs, and if I refuse I get more time added on my stay; they thought that I was being too drastic, and because of my assertive behavior I needed more stay in the hospital, even know that I didn’t truly wanted to be there in the first place. They used “more time” as a weapon rather than treatment.

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