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A distraught family is demanding answers after their depressed and suicidal daughter begged to stay in psychiatric care but was refused and sent home - then took her life a day later.
Legal executive Janine Fraser, 25, died near her family home in Wellington on December 18. It
was one day after she had been released from a psychiatric community respite house, where she was under the daily care of the district health board's Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (Catt).
She had been at the four-bed community house for two weeks after begging her family to admit her to hospital. Her parents Christine and Ian Fraser say a doctor involved in their daughter's treatment told them he knew there were risks in sending her home, but he was prepared to take them.
Capital and Coast District Health Board has confirmed it is investigating the young woman's treatment. Christine and Ian Fraser have also complained to Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson over the handling of their daughter's case.
Health Board chief executive officer Dr Derek Milne said yesterday he wanted to extend his sincere sympathies to the family over their loss.
Asked if bed availability for mental health patients was a factor in Janine being sent home, Milne said she was sent home "on the basis of clinical judgment".
"I'm told resourcing was not a factor, and community respite bed space was available on the days in question," he told the Herald on Sunday in a statement.
The tragedy comes after a review criticising mental health services in Auckland following four deaths last year. Twelve patients under the care of Waitemata District Health Board's mental health service took their own lives in 2006-07. As a result, that health board made a string of changes, including strengthening training in assessing the risks patients posed.
The Fraser family wants answers from Capital and Coast DHB about why their daughter was sent home when she begged to stay in care. They say it was obvious Janine was dangerously unwell - she was suicidal and lacked emotion.
"She begged to stay [in care]," her mother Christine told the Herald on Sunday. "She said, 'Can I not stay?' [The doctor] said, 'No you have to go home. We know there are risks, but we are prepared to take them'."
The health board would not comment on the allegation.
Christine Fraser is also angry over a meeting with the Catt team following her daughter's death.
"There was no 'we're sorry for your loss'. They said it [the death] was inevitable."
Janine Fraser had battled depression for six or seven years, as a result of an eating disorder. She had been treated by Wellington's Eating Disorder Services. Christine said that service could not deal with her depression and self-harm issues.
In December, Janine told her parents she was a danger to herself and asked if they would take her to hospital. She waited for hours to be seen by a psychiatrist, Christine says, but ran out of patience and left.
The following day, Janine was even more desperate for help so Christine took her to Porirua Hospital. She was admitted to a Whitby community respite house, where she stayed under watch for two weeks. During the day, Janine was taken to hospital to be seen by doctors.
On the second Friday, a doctor told the Fraser family Janine might be able to go home, depending on how well she went over the coming weekend. But Janine had a troubled weekend and the family met a doctor on the Monday to discuss what to do.
Janine sat during the meeting with a hooded-jumper over her head, staring ahead, emotionless, her family says. She was adamant about wanting to stay in care.
"She was not in a good space," says Christine, who feared her daughter was a danger to herself. Christine adds that a carer in the centre was also surprised Janine was leaving.
"We were dumbfounded, but we thought he [the doctor] must know what he was doing," said Christine.
The following day, Janine was found dead near her parents' Paraparaumu home, where she had been living.
"I want answers as to why, why was she sent home?" said Christine. She said the four beds in the community respite house were always full during her daughter's two-week stay.
According to the district health board website, a small number of community respite houses in the Wellington area caters for low- to medium-risk patients with mental illnesses to stay for short periods. More community beds are set to open soon.
