Chatham, Ont., hospital takes action to improve mental health care after death of patient
CBC
WARNING: This story contains references to suicide.
Three months after Robert Martin died by suicide in his family home in April 2022, the Chatham, Ont., hospital where he had been treated is now taking steps to improve its mental health care services.
While it doesn't erase the horrible pain of losing her son, Leonie VanPuymbroeck is comforted to know some of her concerns are being addressed and that future mental health patients might experience better outcomes.
"I'm so glad these changes are coming about for all the people of our community," VanPuymbroeck said.
"So many people said to me, 'Oh, I bet you nothing is going to happen.' And so I was a little hesitant, a little negative. But that was not the case at all."
Martin had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder and, later, substance abuse (for use of caffeine drinks and marijuana) that may have contributed to psychotic episodes.
The 26-year-old had a psychiatrist he saw regularly through the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA).
He had also been admitted into the hospital for an involuntary stay at the end of January 2022, after exhibiting bizarre behaviour, but his mother said he was released early. Martin died less than three months later on April 8, 2022.
At the time, VanPuymbroeck told CBC News she felt strongly that not enough was done to prevent his death and the family made a complaint to the hospital about Martin's care.
Subsequently after, CKHA launched an internal review, which it said is the usual protocol "whenever there is an unfortunate outcome such as this," the hospital told CBC News in an emailed statement.
The hospital said all team members involved came together to examine the care Martin received "with the purpose of improving the quality of our care."
As a result, four key recommendations have been made, upon reflecting on Robert's care, for implementation, including:
The hospital shared an implementation action plan with VanPuymbroeck, which was obtained by CBC News.
The first action is the discontinuation of phone appointments for outpatient psychiatry and therapy appointments.
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