Why Did You Kill My Dad?

[Benfleet A1]

Did anyone else see this programe on BBC2 last night. The film maker Julian Hendy lost his father when he was stabbed in the street on a sunday morning in 2007 after paying his paper bill. He had been attacked by a complete stranger with mental health issues, he was 75 years old. Hendy spent two years researching other attacks and talking to relatives of other victims. I can rarely watch anything without passing some sort of comment but last night I watched in complete silence.

I would suggest people watch the programe before commenting too much but if there was ever a case for bringing back ayslems then this was it. Most if not all of those who committed murder had charge sheets as long as your arm and all of them, although on medication, were not taking it. One of them was retained indefinatly but was released after three and half years. To put that in some context, I knew of two lads who used to nick a car from Southend every saturday night and drive home to Basildon. They never damaged the vehicle and always left a fiver in the dashbox for petrol. Wrong I know but in the grand scheme of things, pretty harmless. When they were finally caught they were sentenced to seven years each. Both done every minute of their time.

The Health Authorities seemed to all be reading from the same hymn sheet with lots of sorrys, condolencies to the victims families and lessons need to be learned. Hendy's research found that those lessons were not being learned at all. If you get a chance to watch this programe you can find the link below. Shocking doesn't quite cover it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r8zyx

 

[jassyfa1]

I worked very briefly at Runwell Hospital during the latter end of the 90's. The ward I worked on was not one of the forensic wards (where the dangerous clients stayed) and the local authority were all for care in the community.
The cliental were all over 50 and some had been there since the end of World war two, admitted due to shell shock. All the clients were institutionalised and could not or would not cope in the community without 24 hour care plus additional support if needed. However the NHS is all for streamlining their services and by getting local agencies to care for these clients save the NHS money, which is then spent on a disease that is often in the limelight (usually cancer)

 

[pickledseal]

Just downloading from thebox.bz

 

[Benfleet A1]

I worked very briefly at Runwell Hospital during the latter end of the 90's. The ward I worked on was not one of the forensic wards (where the dangerous clients stayed) and the local authority were all for care in the community.
The cliental were all over 50 and some had been there since the end of World war two, admitted due to shell shock. All the clients were institutionalised and could not or would not cope in the community without 24 hour care plus additional support if needed. However the NHS is all for streamlining their services and by getting local agencies to care for these clients save the NHS money, which is then spent on a disease that is often in the limelight (usually cancer)

I can well believe that. I remember as a kid around the Tarpots area of Benfleet being approached by very confused and sometimes scared people who had walked out of Runwell and been dumped by the bus there because that was as far as their fare would get them. We were kids, we laughed at them, we took the micky, we didn't know any better but these people were not right. Asking me where Aunty Daisy lived wasn't going to get the best of responses out of me or any other kid of my age but these people were, in their own minds only asking a legitimate question. We responded by sending them on wild goose chases.

A lot of them were on day release, some had been released out into the wild on their own and some had just walked out of the grounds and got on a bus. We thought it was great as kids, the wicked sods we were but some of these people couldn't tie a shoelace or button a shirt without help. What were the authorities thinking. Yeah, sure I'm going back 30+ years and I assume improvements in after care have been made what with halfway houses and social care etc but I still ask myself now, what if.. By the grace of someones god, no harm came to either patient or whoever they bumped into but I'm convinced that is more luck than judgement. I am sure you are right about cancer and the like taking president but wouldn't you agree that the average cancer sufferer is unlikely to sink a knife into a complete stranger because of not taking their medication where as someone who hears voices might and has done that very thing. Serious failings within the Mental Health Service wouldn't you agree.