Sir, - I refer to your recent law report, in which is described a Government failure in the European Court. The commitment of mentally ill persons to involuntary hospitalisation is a serious duty long neglected by Government. Family doctors are expected to operate this duty roughly as follows:
While on call for all other duties, a doctor may receive a call to a psychiatric emergency. This will often be time consuming, the physical surroundings awkward and sometimes there will be the threat of danger. There may be confusion or panic, and perhaps also a variety of distraught relatives and hurlers on the ditch.
For taking the history, examining the patient and recommending committal, the doctor (who may indeed be later sued) is entitled to a fee of £2 (or is it two guineas?), unchanged since the 1940s. In reality, there is no fee.
At the AGM of the Association of General Practitioners in October 1996, the resolution was adopted to serve the legitimate interests of patients and doctors: "That a proper protocol be followed and adequate fees be payable for examination of patients whom it is proposed to have admitted to mental hospitals in accordance with the Mental Treatment Acts".
Family doctors should cease forthwith to be involved in committal procedures, until our Government acts. - Yours, etc.,
Chairman, Association of
General Practitioners, Kickham Street,
Thurles,
Co Tipperary.