Lydia Murphy calls for mental health unit law after brother’s Cronulla beach suicide

The sister of a man who died mere hours after being released from the mental-health unit at St George Hospital has called for laws mandating contact of next-of-kin when their loved ones are discharged.

Lydia Murphy is mourning after her brother Jason Murphy took his life last week just hours after being discharged from St George hospital acute mental health unit. Picture: David Swift

A grieving sister has claimed a mental health unit failed her brother who took his own life hours after being discharged and is calling for next of kin or support workers to be notified before patients are released.

Lydia Murphy believes if she had been called about her brother Jason Murphy’s state of delusion and confusion before he left St George Hospital’s acute mental health unit last week then he would still be alive.

She wants to see discharge policies enforced and a new mandatory law made so no other family has to suffer.

“My brother’s welfare was neglected and there was a major failure in duty of care,” Ms Murphy said.

Lydia and Jason Murphy is happier times. Picture: Supplied

Ms Murphy, who lives in St Marys, wants a mandatory law made where voluntary or non-voluntary patients who are being discharged from mental health units must have a next of kin, family member, friend or support worker notified prior to them leaving.

She said her 39-year-old brother had started a new job in sales and marketing and moved to Sydney last year.

Ms Murphy said Jason had not suffered with mental health issues until he had severe insomnia before Christmas.

Lydia Murphy is calling for a mandatory law where patients’ next of kin or support worker is notified when they are discharged. Picture: David Swift

“Jason was really alarmed and not sleeping was sending him insane,” Ms Murphy said.

“It made him depressed because he was not meeting his targets at work and his job was at risk.”

Mr Murphy, who lived by himself in a Kogarah unit, voluntarily admitted himself to the hospital’s unit earlier in March where he stayed for two weeks before he was discharged feeling a little better but still depressed and suicidal.

Last week, Mr Murphy admitted himself again but when he was released the next day, he was delusional and confused, Ms Murphy said.

Police taped off the area along with two other locations were possessions were found. Picture John Grainger

Hours later his body was found in the shallows at Cronulla beach.

“The last conversation we had was quite disturbing. He said, ‘I’m back at the hospital sis and I am going to get the help I need’,” Ms Murphy said.

She said she and Jason were close and she would have picked him up if the hospital had called.

Ms Murphy is recovering from spinal surgery and believes her brother did not want to “burden her”.

“He was relying on the services that were supposed to help him,” Ms Murphy said. “If I had been called I would have been there for him.”

Jason Murphy was found at Cronulla beach. Picture: John Grainger

Staff within units must abide by existing guidelines when discharging patients including identifying a discharge with patients and their family/carer and assessing patients’ strengths, vulnerabilities, social supports and if they are a harm to themselves or others.

Mental Health Carers NSW executive officer Jonathan Harms said the Mental Health Act required clinicians to make “best endeavours” to inform carers about discharge where ‘reasonably practicable’.

“For a chronically underfunded and overworked mental health service clinician that will often turn out to not be very often,” he said.

“We understand clinicians can skip the task of identifying and informing carers for good and bad reasons, and having to look after the next sick person instead of finding the family of the last one is very understandable.

Jason and Lydia Murphy had always been close siblings. Picture: Supplied

“But it is not understandable for governments … to not provide enough staff or systems for these vital communication functions.”

Mr Harms said there was no accountability for failure to inform or even find families before discharging people.

“Governments need to be held accountable for a system that routinely fails to allow families and carers to get the information they need to support their loved ones, especially when people routinely suffer tragic consequences as a result,” he said.

Mr Harms accepted not every patient had a family member or support person who could provide care, but believed units should not release patients unless it was safe.

Hospital staff met with Ms Murphy on Friday to listen to her concerns. Picture: David Swift

Health Minister Ryan Park and a NSW Health spokeswoman expressed their condolences to Mr Murphy’s family and friends.

“I have asked NSW Health to investigate the care provided to Mr Murphy and those findings will be shared with his family,” Mr Park said.

He said the findings could help inform improvements needed in the delivery of care for patients and families.

The spokeswoman said there needed to be a balance between protecting the privacy of patients when requested, maintaining their trust in services, and ensuring they have support when discharged.

Hospital staff met with Ms Murphy on Friday to listen to her concerns.

Her petition has more than 13,000 signatures and she had started a fundraising page to help cover funeral costs.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or experiencing personal crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. The NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 is a 24/7 service that can advise local services.