‘At risk of having ECT against my will’: Mum speaks out against mental health horror

A Brisbane mother who suffered postnatal depression has spoken about her experience in a mental health ward where she faced the possibility of forced electroconvulsive therapy, as it’s revealed new mothers are being placed in facilities full of mostly male, violent patients.

New mothers suffering severe postnatal depression are being separated from their babies and housed in mental health wards full of mostly male, often violent, high-risk patients.

One Brisbane mother has spoken out about her stay at the Princess Alexandra Hospital’s mental health ward, revealing she was told she had no capacity to make her own decisions and was at risk of being given electroconvulsive therapy against her will.

With just four public peri-natal mental health beds to service the entire state, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Queensland president Professor Brett Emmerson said the dire lack of beds was not just “ridiculous, it’s unsafe”.

“People admitted (to adult mental health wards) have become much more male, psychotic, often drug-affected; violence can be a major issue with these patients and it’s just not safe to have a child there,” Professor Emmerson said.

With just four beds located on the Gold Coast, Queensland has far and away the least amount of public peri-natal mental health beds in the country. That equates to 15434 births per four beds in Queensland, compared with 4422 births per 18 beds in Victoria.

Mary-Anne Richardson was put into a public mental health ward after suffering postnatal depression. Picture: Josh Woning

The shocking statistics are highlighted as part of The Courier-Mail’s Through the Cracks campaign, supporting calls for a broadscale review of services by the Queensland Mental Health Commission to develop a five-year plan to fix the problems within Queensland’s mental healthcare system, as well as calls for a stand-alone mental health minister and more funding from the state of commonwealth.

One in five women will experience postnatal depression or anxiety or both.

“The shortage means people either don’t get treated, or sub optimally treated or the burden is put on the family to manage them,” Professor Emmerson said.

The Mater Foundation is aiming to help address the chronic issue and is building a state-of-the- art facility to help mothers get the help they need.

The Sisters of Mercy Convent, on the hospital’s South Brisbane headquarters, is being converted to a dedicated peri-natal mental health and wellbeing service for mothers, babies and families.

The three-level facility, called Catherine’s House, will include two private mother baby beds with hopes the state will fund eight beds.

Mater Mental Health Services senior manager Greg McGahan said it was vital that mothers were able to access inpatient care if needed while staying with their babies.

“When bub can’t really room in with Mum you always worry about the rupture to that early relationship, and while Mum might not be particularly well that connection with her baby is crucial,” Mr McGahan said.

But even with the Mater’s new facility much more needed to be done – especially in the regions, Professor Emmerson said.

Psychiatrists would like to see peri-natal beds at Caboolture, Townsville, Rockhampton and Cairns.

Mary-Anne Richardson (second from left) with her children (from left) Fleur, 9, Elle, 4, and Henry, 8. Picture: Josh Woning

Brisbane mother of three children – aged 10, 8 and 4 – Mary-Anne Richardson started experiencing depression and anxiety when she was pregnant with her first child.

“I started over-thinking everything and being disproportionately worried about things that were quite minor, but there was a very deep, dark heaviness,” she said.

The severity of the illnesses led to Mary-Anne being induced at 36 weeks so she could start treatment.

“I started medication, but I was admitted to the Belmont mums and bubs unit with my first (child),” she said.

But unfortunately because the private health insurance Ms Richardson had at the time didn’t cover private psychiatric she was forced to wait two months until the waiting period to upgrade it was over.

“My family did an amazing job at keeping me safe and just plodding through, but I did get admitted to the PA overnight and just realised I never ever want to go to a public mental health facility ever again,” she said.

“A facility that doesn’t let you take baby; a facility that locks you up with other ­people who are not well, it was horrible.

“I was told I had no capacity to make decisions for myself and was at risk of having ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) forcibly against my will. It was horrible.”

Luckily she was able to leave the facility shortly after.

Ms Richardson said she could not understand how an issue that affects so many families was not made a priority.

“It is disgusting that we only have the four public beds, it is abhorrent, it is so, so sad … this (postnatal mental health issues) can happen to anyone,” she said.

More than $15 million has been raised by Mater donors to help build Catherine’s House.