Friend lost in MH system

[Prasada]

Without going into specific details, I was recently trying to track down an old friend of mine and discovered that she had been mentally ill – in hospital and then in a half-way house (an assisted MH accommodation facility) for several years.

I lost touch with this person years ago during an extended period of unemployment, during which I was financially embarrassed and stuck in one place for ages, finding it difficult to keep in touch with people. By the time I was back in work and resurfacing, this person seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

I’ve come up against the anticipated brick wall of medical confidentiality and privacy. Medical facilities obviously cannot give out private details of a person’s whereabouts or the nature of the illness, and yet there must be some protocols in place for concerned friends to circumvent this impasse.

I will be grateful for any comments or ideas. I am disturbed by the thought of this person possibly living an isolated life, with little support, and, in terms of mental health, being psychologically in a ‘place of darkness’, as I have heard the matter described.

 

[Rorschach]

What a heart warming post!!! I have no idea what you've tried thus far, but people can leave tracks. The medical system can't actually help you too much. That said you may get a lead if you were to be able to identify one of the nursing team in an unofficial capacity. On the whole nurses have a very real concern for patients, and while they wouldn't give your her details, they may have an unofficial way to get your details to your friend. To do this you'd pretty much need to find out which hospital she was in, ID nurses on that ward, and get up the guts to approach them. They may have some contact with her community team.

Beyond that you may have to do some detective work. Are you now in the area she was??? Parents??? Siblings??? There must be someway you can gather as full of a bio as you can. Once you have some kind of background concerning her life since you last saw her, it might make it easier to track her down???

Not much help I'm afraid, but GOOD LUCK!!! I hope your friend is in good enough shape to appreciate you really care about her!!!

 

[Ainsworth]

if you know her full name and or relatives and the general area of where any of them live, you can then go try this site for finding them on the Electoral Roll

http://www.192.com/content/help/electoral-roll/

 

[Prasada]

Thanks for those comments. That gives me some ideas.

As far as I know, there’s no surviving close family, and there was never much support from any extended family. Sadly there are no siblings.

I’m not in the area at present but will be.

Thanks for the comment about the electoral roll: in fact, that’s how I discovered that she was in the two recovery accommodation units. However, there’s no data for current whereabouts, which could mean hospital or, I hope, sharing private accommodation.

 

[Prasada]

I was most worried about the first unit, as it’s for people just out of hospital but with no accommodation to go to. I was wondering where the hell her friends were at this time.

 

[Ainsworth]

I’m not in the area at present but will be.

then it would the local library's for the undated data then ( i would of thought)

hope you find her and shes safe

 

[Prasada]

Indeed. Let’s hope that it produces results.

The other concern is, of course, her present state of mind.

 

[Twylight]

It may only be a slim chance ?
But your friend might have a PC and might be on facebook ?

 

[Prasada]

I tried Facebook and Myspace without success. She has an unusual name, which should, in theory, make tracking easier, so the absence on the net adds to the worry.

 

[Prasada]

then it would the local library's for the undated data then ( i would of thought)

hope you find her and shes safe

Did you mean 2009?

 

[Ainsworth]

Did you mean 2009?

no, i would of thought that the data they have would be from 2008, they may of not updated it yet.

you would have to check to be sure.

is it 2009 year info that you need? as that may be a problem.

 

[Prasada]

I have contact details up to 2007, when she (presumably) left the second unit. Nothing after that.

 

[Ainsworth]

I have contact details up to 2007, when she (presumably) left the second unit. Nothing after that.

where did you find them to, online?

 

[Prasada]

The Electoral Register.

 

[Twylight]

Although the mental health services are prohibited from giving you her whereabouts
They might be able to get a letter to her if you posted it to the last place she was in with her name on it ??