I refer to the Mental Capacity Act proposed by the government.
While an Act is in the right direction, it is not preemptive. In
furtherance of its aim, the government needs to monitor and check
the culture in step-down facilities for the mentally ill to ensure
that these disadvantaged are accorded with respect and dignity, and
given the best possible care. Frequently, not only do the public
stigmatize the mental ill, even social workers and professionals
psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers have their share of
closet bigots who use the mentally ill for their own and their
organizations agendas. Mental illness can befall anyone. They
should not be an ostracized or an ill-treated class or used in
hidden agendas, especially when they cannot fight back. Thus,
anyone from professionals to family caregivers should accord them
with dignity and respect and afford them the best possible care
while being fair and firm with their needs and expectations.
Ill-treatment and professional neglect, passing-the-buck between
caregivers and professionals and even the less than professional
culture and processes in step-down facilities can edge the mentally
ill towards suicide. I propose that all suicides in step-down
facilities should be taken seriously and a board of inquiry headed
by MOH be convened whenever such an act
occurs in a step-down facility, such as impeccable standards of
care are maintained in these crucial organizations. It is the least
that can be done to ensure accountability whenever a tragic loss of
life occurs. We should not brush this matter aside. Our relatives
and friends or ourselves could be next in succumbing to mental
illness and being subject to care from a step-down facility. We
would certainly be prudent to ensure such facilities are of the
highest standards and not have a fly-by-night character.