Michelle Wijlens talks about the death of her brother Michael Wijlens and his care by mental health workers.
Investigations are under way into the death of a man who was in the care of community mental health services.
The death of Michael Wijlens, 55, in North Shore Hospital on April 15 this year is under investigation by both the coroner and the Health and Disability Commission.
Michael, who had a history of mental illness and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, was extremely malnourished and had a severe infection in his lungs when his sister Michelle Wijlens rushed him to the doctor.
Michelle went to visit Michael in his West Auckland home soon after she moved back to New Zealand from Australia and could see how sick he was as soon as she arrived, despite a care worker telling her he was fine the previous day.
"When I went to see him, if I had left it for a week I would have walked in to a dead body," Michelle said through tears.
Michael had been in the care of a number of community care organisations which supported people who had suffered from mental illnesses ever since he was discharged from a month-long stay in a Waitemata District Health Board mental health facility where he was diagnosed with paranoia in late 2015.
His sister believed he was released too soon because even then he refused to shower and would not eat.
In November 2016, the district health board decided he no longer needed support from its community mental health branch despite records from support workers at Vision West and West Auckland Living Skills Homes Trust Board noting concerns he would not shower or change clothes, had no clean bedsheets, there was often a lack of food in the house and that he became agitated when pressed about it.
Vision West records showed a number of discussions with a needs assessment and service co-ordinator from the district health board in which concerns were raised about his refusal to accept help from early 2016 up until weeks before his death.
Toward the end of 2016 Walsh Trust support workers also began to note his lack of hygiene and this January they noted he was breathless and pale after a little exercise as well as unkempt and smelly.
Michelle Wijlens holding the urn that contains the ashes of her brother Michael Wijlens who died while in the care of community support services. Photo/Alan Gibson
Michelle said the "scariest part" was the fact he was released from community mental health because he told them he was fine despite support workers' concerns.
She also questioned why more action was not taken when concerns were logged.
"My concern is how many other people like my brother are out there? How many other people with mental health issues, when they get a phone call go, 'yeah I'm fine'," she said.
"I am not blaming the care workers because a lot of them are as vulnerable as Mike was. I blame the policies and the training and the lack of communication between all the agencies who were appointed to look after him."
Waitemata District Health Board chief medical officer Dr Andrew Brant said Michael's discharge from community mental health care was "clinically appropriate" and he was left in the care of a number of home-based community services and his GP.
Michelle Wijlens holding the urn that contains the ashes of her brother Michael Wijlens who died while in the care of community support services. Photo/Alan Gibson
"The DHB has written to Mr Wijlens' family apologising for shortcomings with communications around his post-discharge arrangements. The family should also have been more involved in the planning of his care in the community," he said.
"While we await the HDC findings, we are implementing changes to improve care to patients in similar situations and we have already looked at improving processes on discharges into community care."
He would not comment further while the investigation was under way.
Vision West chief executive Lisa Woolley said she was not able to discuss Michael Wijlens' case for privacy reasons but said staff were expected to "refer up" by raising concerns with clients' families or their needs assessor.
"Obviously it's a very sad situation and we're keen to see what the Health and Disability Commission comes out with," she said.
The West Auckland Living Skills Homes Trust Board said it would not be appropriate to comment with the investigation going on.
