‘My dad might still be alive if doctors had gone to his home – we need more mental health support’

Phil Wright, who was in the grip of severe depression, could not leave his house or even talk to his doctor on the phone.

As home visits are not guaranteed on the NHS, this meant the father was stuck at home without help for several months and his mental health deteriorated.

He took his own life last month; Her daughter believes this tragedy could have been prevented if she had had access to the right support.

“When my father passed away, his doctors sent a sympathy card and I literally tore it up,” said Abbey Wright. Independent. “I thought if you had done your job properly, you wouldn’t have had to sympathize with what happened.”

Phil’s family realized he desperately needed help last year when he said he didn’t want to be alive anymore.

“He wasn’t leaving the house, he wasn’t going out at all, and in October he had a breakdown. He was crying, he didn’t want to be here anymore, he just didn’t see the point of it.”

Worried about her father, Ms Wright called 111 to see if a doctor could come to their home.

He was told that this was not possible and that if he wanted to get help, his father would have to leave the house or talk to someone on the phone.

“This surprised me,” he said. “I thought, what are we supposed to do now? I can’t drag a fully grown man kicking and screaming to the doctor.”

Even though Phil constantly wanted someone to visit, he could only make phone appointments and his wife had to do most of the talking.

“I don’t know how you can assess someone’s mental health over the phone… Making an appointment over the phone to assess the situation is not enough,” Ms Wright said.

“You can’t see the anxiety, the body language, the quivering of their lips; you can’t see any of that over the phone, so you have to see it in person to fully understand that they’re not okay.”

Ms Wright, who visits her father twice a day, said she felt helpless. “It was as if the lights were on but he wasn’t home. He was just staring into space. He wasn’t himself at all.”

“There’s a lot you can do as a family to be there for them. I didn’t know what was going on in his head, my mom definitely didn’t know, and I don’t think she did either.”

He believes home care would be “very” effective and could have saved his father’s life.

Ms Wright now wants to see mandatory home visits for people struggling with serious mental health issues and unable to leave the house.

“If someone is experiencing extreme mental health difficulties and cannot leave their home, it should be mandatory for healthcare professionals to make home visits,” he said.

“These individuals need immediate and compassionate face-to-face care, not vague suggestions or impersonal phone calls.”

A spokesman for Mr Wright’s doctor’s practice, Gresleydale Health Centre, said: “We were extremely saddened to hear of Mr Wright’s passing and our deepest condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends.

“Although we cannot talk about individual cases, home visits, as well as telephone appointments, are within our practice policy for patients who cannot leave their homes. Each case is evaluated individually.

“As part of our normal procedures in such cases, we will review our contact with Mr Wright and his family in the lead up to his death to see if there are things we could have done differently and if there are any changes to policies or processes needed in the future. “A patient safety learning event was conducted and shared with the ICB for learning purposes.

He urged anyone who needs help with a mental health crisis or emergency to call NHS 111.

Gemma Byrne, director of policy and influence at mental health charity Mind, said: “Access to the right support is crucial for anyone experiencing serious mental health issues. Where people need face-to-face, human support, we should be able to offer it.”

Last week the government announced a new mental health strategy that aims to move from crisis intervention to preventive care as part of its 10-year health plan.

“Ten years from now we cannot still be talking about a system that is overstretched, reactive and struggling to keep up with demand,” Ms Byrne said.

“We need a future-focused mental health system that intervenes earlier, responds faster and provides high-quality support that reflects the complexity of people’s lives.”

An NHS spokesman said: “The NHS continues to take action to strengthen and improve services for those living with serious mental illness, but we know there is more to do.

“New crisis resolution and home treatment teams are available in every area in England to provide rapid support, including face-to-face care and home visits where clinically appropriate, to ensure people with serious mental health problems can access care in the setting that suits their needs.”

If you are experiencing distressed emotions or having difficulty coping, you can talk or email the Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI). jo@samaritans.orgor visit Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch

If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis helpline that anyone can access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country you can go to: www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you