Day-Release from a Secure Mental Health Ward

[floette]

Setting:- Modern-day England
Google Keywords Used - Day release, mental health ward protocols, mental health secure units, security for funerals, criminals going to funerals and a combo of all of them in various ways.

Comments

[nineveh_uk]

To be honest, looking at it from the crudest point of view, I doubt that "insane murderer is let out of secure hospital to attend the funeral of his insane murderer partner-in-crime" is going to happen.

[floette]

Actually disregard my last comment because my brain exploded.

I see your point, but it's kinda a plot point to have him go. Obviously I can write it out, but if I can include it I'd like to.

[rhiannon_s]

there would have to be real extenuating circumstances to allow that and even then would probably only be allowed to attend the graveside service part while handcuffed to two very large coppers. He would be jammed into a black suit, standard funeral wear, which would be removed the second they were away from the service. Your main character would be expected to go and stand next to the coppers so if anything went wrong she would be right there as a scapegoat. When the powers that be stick their neck out like that, no matter how persuasive the argument, they want a scapegoat ready and waiting in case of cock-ups.

[floette]

She will be calling in a fair few favours to achieve this - she's using it to garner trust with the young lad, to establish a good relationship with him.

Thanks for your answer! It's really helped me ^_^

[mahasin]

I doubt he'd be allowed to go, and I can't answer the first two questions but the third I have more questions for you.

She's a Criminal Psychologist, but is she a guardian? I think if she was his guardian she'd be more likely to be required to go as a chaperon.

4 would really depend on what was specifically requested, however it'd be likely that there would be some obvious restrictions, no sharps, uh, and possibly no draw string pants or shoe strings.

[floette]

She isn't, legally, a guardian of his. She is responsible for his health, but he has parents who have legal guardianship.

Thank you for your answers! They're really helpful ^_^

[floette]

I know it's stretching the realms of probability somewhat, I do agree!

Thanks for your answer; my plan is to have my MC call in every favour she has to achieve this, because she feels it is the best way to garner trust between her and the young kid she's treating.

[cuddyclothes]

This is definitely stretching the realm of possiblity until it's as thin as a piece of string. First of all, no matter how many favors she calls in, it's simply not going to happen. A patient being guarded and on suicide watch would never be let out of a hospital on a day pass. A patients are only occasionally awarded day passes, and that's when they are 90% close to being released.

Also, in a psych ward, you generally spend the first 48 hours in hospital gear (scrubs with socks) and then they let you wear your own clothes. Depending on the hospital, you might not be allowed a belt or anything with laces. Cell phones and personal items are putted in a locked closet, which are generally only opened twice a day at set times.

[orientalmoons]

This isn't the case in England- the clothing or the phones and personal items. Everyone wears normal clothes whenever they were admitted- in fact, I have seen notices specifically banning the wearing of night clothes in daytime. I have never seen scrubs in any mental health hospitals, ever (most of the ward staff wear casual clothes, managers and doctors wear suits and cleaners wear uniforms).

Belts and laces, phones and other personal stuff (excepting things like razors and anything that could be a weapon, and any medicines or drugs and alcohol) would be allowed on a regular acute ward. On a secure ward, mobile phones may not be allowed at all. In this scenario, the guy could well be in PICU (psychiatric intensive care unit- it's not medical, but it has very high staff-to-patient ratio) and possibly he would not be allowed belts and laces.

I agree that this scenario is almost impossible. If he is ill enough to be on suicide watch, he would not be considered well enough to be allowed leave.

[w_a_i_d]

I'll add to the above that IF it is SOMEHOW possible, (and my feeling is that it simply is not), she'd need a stronger motivation for trying it than just wanting to win the kid's trust. She's going out on a limb to a career-risking extent.