Care failures 'devastating'

DEVASTATED: Zoe Gilbert wants answers about how her brother Finn Higgins failed to receive the mental health care he needed.

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A woman whose brother was found dead on Mt Victoria in Wellington wants answers about how he failed to receive the mental health care he needed.

Capital and Coast District Health Board has begun an investigation into the case after Finn Higgins, 26, was left terrified and was able to run away twice, despite a psychiatric worker deciding he should be committed for care.

His body was found in Mt Victoria's town belt on Friday - nearly a month after he was last seen running from his home on February 11.

His family says the month of not knowing his whereabouts was agonising, but the answers provided on Friday raise fresh questions about how he was allowed to die.

Mr Higgin's sister Zoe Gilbert, who flew from England a week ago to help search for him, told The Dominion Post the health board had admitted mistakes were made in her brother's care.

Board chief executive Derek Milne confirmed the case would be reviewed.

Ms Gilbert said the numerous missed opportunities to provide care and prevent the tragedy were "devastating".

Her brother had his first contact with the mental health service four days before he went missing, when he was reported to be anxious and suicidal.

A psychiatric worker visited him on February 11, the day he disappeared, and told him his condition was so bad he would be committed to care.

But the nurse was not legally qualified to commit him, and phoned for someone else to come.

Instead of waiting, the nurse left. Ms Gilbert said Mr Higgins was terrified at the thought of going to hospital and ran away, trying to drown himself at Oriental Bay.

"He was a very private person. He felt uncomfortable and anxious around strangers. When they said they were going to section him, his anxiety doubled," Ms Gilbert said.

He returned to his girlfriend about 4pm that day, exhausted and wet, and she called the Crisis Assessment Treatment Team to ask someone to come and collect him.

Getting no reply half an hour later, she called again. She was eventually told police had been called to collect him.

The police have told Ms Gilbert the call was never received.

By 7.30 that night, Mr Higgins again grew agitated. His girlfriend tried to physically restrain him, hugging him to her for more than half an hour to stop him leaving. He eventually ran away. Police arrived and began to search, but he was not seen alive again.

Ms Gilbert said it was devastating to think that if her brother had been committed that morning, if the nurse had waited with him to stop him running away, or if someone had come to collect him that evening after he returned, he could have got the care he needed.

The health board is also investigating the death of Janine Fraser, 25, in December after she begged doctors to let her to stay in the psychiatric community respite house. She was sent home.

Dr Milne said the Crisis Assessment Treatment Team was only three doctors short, out of 45.

When asked if beds were scarce, he said: "The key issue is whether someone in need of admission to hospital is able to access that admission when they need it. We always ensure that that happens."

- © Fairfax NZ News