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| Legal
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| The
Survivors Speak Out Crisis Card |
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| A
crisis card allows a person to set out how they wish to be treated in a
mental health emergency, when they may have difficulty in making their wishes
known. For it to have any effect it needs to be made voluntarily. This note
explains the consequences of filling in and carrying a crisis card. |
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| The
main aim of this card is to make sure that if you are in a crisis an advocate
of your choosing (your 'nominee') will be contacted. It is therefore
very important that before you make the crisis card your nominee agrees
that s/he is happy to be contacted and understands what you would like him
or her to do and say in an emergency. It is also important that your card
is always carried and is easy to find in an emergency. It is small enough
to fit into your wallet or purse. |
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| You
cannot appoint someone else to make treatment decisions for you, as the
law of England and Wales does not allow this. But during an assessment for
admission to hospital under the Mental Health Act (the 'Act') you
can choose to have someone with you. The Code of Practice to the Act gives
guidance as to how professionals should act when they are assessing people.
It recognises that in most cases if a person chooses to have another person
with them during an assessment the social worker should make sure that this
happens. The Code states: |
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| "If
the patient would like another person (for example a friend) to be with
him during the assessment and any subsequent action that may be taken, then
ordinarily the A.S.W. (approved social worker) should assist in securing
that person's attendance unless the urgency of the case or some other
proper reason makes it inappropriate to do so." (Paragraph 2.12) A
crisis card makes this wish clear. |
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| If
the police detain you, your crisis card will make them realise that you
may be having mental health difficulties. There should be policies which
the police have worked out with the health authority to ensure that people
in a mental health crisis are taken to a specific place of safety. Your
crisis card should also mean that the police call your nominee immediately. |
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| You
cannot make a doctor give you a particular treatment if that treatment is
contrary to his or her 'clinical judgement1 by having a crisis card,
because the law does not allow you to do this in any circumstances. Although
it may be possible to refuse treatment in advance of a crisis, you would
need to do this by an "advance directive". This crisis card is
not intended to be an advance directive, which is a legally binding advance
decision about treatment. A separate note is enclosed explaining what an
advance directive is and how to make one. |
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| Notes
for completing a crisis card |
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| A.
This part is for your nominee's name, address and telephone number. |
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| B.
You may wish to give here information'about allergies or bad reactions
you have had in the past to specific drugs or what treatment has proved
helpful or unhelpful. |
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C.
Other useful information could be that you find a blue flashing police light
or uniforms frightening, or you may wish to give the name and telephone
number of your key worker or treatment team, and/or your diagnosis and the
names of any drugs you are taking. You could give the name of a second nominee
in case the first is not available or you may just decide to give information
about how you would like to be treated (eg. 'I should like a cup of
tea with 2 sugars'). You could add extra comments on the back. |
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Psychological
effects of Whiplash -
Even minor crashes can be diistressing.Some psychological changes such as
irritability forgetfulness and poor concentration are quite common after
moderate or sevee injuries.Depending on the precise circumstances of the
accident psychological symptoms may be severe enough to be investigated
by a psychiatrist .A lesson or two with an advanced driving instructor may
sometimes help to restore confidence.An instructor can give advice on defensive
driving techniques. |
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| Site
last updated - 17/9/04 |
All
pages © Connectmedical Services Ltd Company No 390827 Unless otherwise
Stated
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