Mental health services criticised after desperate man throws himself under a train in Milton Keynes
Golam Reza
Sally Murrer
Published: 11:52 Thursday 17 October 2019
A town councillor has criticised mental health services after a desperate dad took his own life by throwing himself in front of a train at Bletchley station on Saturday.
Golam Reza, 48, had suffered from depression for two years and has tried to commit suicide on two previous occasions over the past few weeks.
Yet each time he was not given the help he needed from mental health experts, claims West Bletchley councillor Shery Delfani.
Like Mr Reza, she is a native Iranian and has looked into his medical history after Saturday's tragedy.
"It is not good," she said. "Golam clearly needed help and he did not get it. All they did was discharge him when he was not safe to be discharged."
Mr Reza, who came to the UK 22 years ago, was a widower and lived on Fishermead with his grown-up son.
"He had been getting more and more depressed. At the end of August, he tried to take his own life by electrocuting himself. He suffered burns to his feet and an ambulance was called," said Cllr Delfani.
Staff in A&E referred Mr Reza to the Campbell Centre mental health unit. He was kept in for three or four days and then discharged, say his family.
Two weeks later Mr Reza tried to commit suicide again, this time by an overdose. His son discovered him and he was again rushed to hospital.
"The hospital said they would admit him and the son was told to go home and sleep. But just after he left, Golam walked out of the hospital. There was a search and security eventually found him outside," said Cllr Delfani.
Hospital staff told the family he should be in a secure mental health unit and advised the son to contact his GP.
"Golam refused to leave the house at this stage. He was acting very strange. The son asked the GP if a doctor could come out and see him but he refused," said Cllr Delfani.
"Instead he was given an 0800 number, which was some kind of support line. The son tried to call but could not get through," she added.
Early on Saturday morning Mr Reza slipped out of the house and somehow made his way to Bletchley station. His shocked son was told of the tragedy by police later the same morning.
An inquest will be held into the death but will not take place until next year.
Cllr Delfani said: "Questions need to be asked. How was this allowed to happen? We need answers on behalf of other people suffering from mental health problems."
A spokesperson for CNWL MK, who run mental health services, said, "How awful for the family, who must be devastated and our thoughts go out to them.
"We can see the family has given permission for the case to be reported in the press but we still have an obligation of confidentiality. We are contacting the family directly.
"They will want to question everything that has taken place since he saw us in September.
"There will be an investigation, including into the advice given, the appointments he was offered and what phone numbers the family were given for emergencies.
"We know this is of no consolation right now but an investigation will provide some answers."
* If you are feeling suicidal please call the Samaritans free at any time on 116 123
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