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Clinical stability in the community associated with long-term approved leave under the Mental Health Act 2001

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2014

E. Bainbridge ,
F. Byrne ,
B. Hallahan  and
C. McDonald
E. Bainbridge*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
F. Byrne
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
B. Hallahan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
C. McDonald
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr E. Bainbridge, MRCPsych, Clinical Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Introduction

We present the case of a 27-year-old man with a background diagnosis of treatment resistant schizophrenia and absent insight who for the last 3 years has been residing in a high support residential setting on approved leave under the Mental Health Act (MHA) 2001. The case demonstrates how this man achieved clinical stability in the community with the assistance of long-term involuntary admission under the MHA 2001, in contrast to the previous years of his illness in which he had suffered multiple relapses of his psychotic illness with ssociated distress, poor self-care and repeated in-patient re-admissions. We discuss the equivalent use of community treatment orders in other jurisdictions and how the judicious use of approved leave under the MHA 2001 may be used as an alternative in Ireland where community treatment orders are not currently available.

Method

Case Report.

Conclusion

The case report highlights how the use of long-term approved leave under the MHA2001 may be used as alternative in Ireland to mimic CTOs for certain difficult to treat patients with psychotic illness who would benefit from ongoing treatment, but lack capacity to engage in such treatment due to persistent symptoms and lack of insight.

Keywords

InvoluntaryMental Health Act 2001Schizophrenia
Type
Case Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , June 2014 , pp. 143 - 148
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2014 

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