A father whose autistic son is living at a mental health unit has told reporters that he’s not been able to see or speak to his son for 3 years.
Wayne Erasmus said his 31 year old son Huw was moved without notice from a unit in Carmarthen to Birmingham and then, again, to St Andrew’s Healthcare in Northampton.
Huw as a child. //WAYNE ERASMUS
Both St Andrew’s and his local health board have told Wayne that Huw did not want to speak to him. But according to Wayne, Huw just says this when he is worried and anxious.
“That’s what they say but I know Huw gets worried and when he’s worried he says he doesn’t want to talk to the family,” Mr Erasmus said.
“But then when he does want to speak with his family he has to wait two weeks for his fortnightly review… but they put pressure on him then to stick with no contact with the family. In my opinion, they’re hiding behind that.”
Huw has been held under the Mental Health Act for six years, despite only meant to have been held at such facilities as St Andrews for 6 months.
“When he was in Carmarthen I could hear his voice when they asked him if he wanted to speak to mam or dad. Now that he’s in St Andrew’s – total black out,” Mr Erasmus said.
“I don’t think the place is suitable for him and the more I hear, the bigger the horror story is getting.”
But St Andrew’s said it was “working closely with NHS Wales” to make sure patients, like Hew, were receiving the best treatment and care possibly.
“There are often multiple factors that need to be taken into account, which at times require that these vulnerable individuals need very specialist treatment and observation in a safe, secure setting,” it said.
In contrast to this, though, when inspectors visited the headquarters for a review, they found that the use of physical restraint had increased, despite plans to reduce it.
