BECKENHAM: Mentally ill patients tracked by GPS device (From News Shopper)
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BECKENHAM: Mentally ill patients tracked by GPS device
8:32am Wednesday 1st September 2010 in
A SCHEME that tracks mentally ill patients so they are traceable if they abscond has gone live after two successful trials.
The system at Royal Bethlem Hospital is the first time any such device has been introduced within NHS mental health services.
It works by GPS technology with anyone on leave from the hospital’s medium secure unit River House having to wear a tamper proof device.
This provides information about their whereabouts when they are outside the secure perimeter of the unit in Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham.
If they are late back from their leave then the police can be notified of their location and pick them up.
The scheme has been brought in at the hospital, which is run by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), after two trials.
Patients volunteered to take part in a small scale trial at the end of last year and a larger scale trial with 35 tracking devices took place in the spring.
SLaM now has 60 of the GPS devices.
The clinical director of SLaM’s forensic services Professor Tom Fahy said: "The aim for virtually all of our patients is to eventually rehabilitate them safely and well back into the community.
“It's a necessary part of the rehabilitation process that patients will take leave from hospital.
"These devices enable us to confirm the patient's location when they are on leave, ensure that they adhere to the conditions of their leave and it really gives us an extra layer of safety."
Comments(16)
porkpie
says...
11:30am Wed 1 Sep 10
Locked and Loaded
says...
12:50pm Wed 1 Sep 10
"tamper proof" tell that to the loons.
RedRevolver
says...
2:32pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Locked and Loaded
says...
3:19pm Wed 1 Sep 10
" You touch that tag you f'in loon and I'll cut your Jacobs off "
jca111
says...
10:20am Thu 2 Sep 10
Radio 4 covered this story a week or so ago.
Only those patients who were already granted leave will be fitted. One of the purposes of this medium-secure unit is to help people re-integrate into society, so this GPS systems is and EXTRA layer of security, not just a device that lets half the patients out and the hospital not worry about them.
All you people saying its going to be a disaster - what do you propose? You cannot lock up every medium risk patient for ever - for a start it would be cost too much.
So come on all you doubters - what's your idea?
I think this is an excellent idea.
Locked and Loaded
says...
12:22pm Thu 2 Sep 10
jca111
says...
12:44pm Thu 2 Sep 10
Locked and Loaded wrote:Gosh - you are full of clichés aren't you. FYI I am not left wing/liberal and love read meat - and think lentils stink - literally.
jca111, Bromley its not the medium risk patients that worry anyone, its the high risk ones. It wasn't that long ago the NS reported a 300 lb murdress on the loose after a shopping expedition, and she had only served a couple of years. These liberal left wing do gooders think they can rehabilitate everyone. How about they let them loose and you have them around your place for tofu and lentils, then you and Red Revolver can sing Kumbaya with them while all holding hands.
So try coming out with a proper counter argument, and not just clichéd rubbish insults that you read elsewhere.
jca111
says...
12:45pm Thu 2 Sep 10
Locked and Loaded
says...
7:01pm Thu 2 Sep 10
So you dont eat lentils, hows about the tofu ? Ohh sorry I must of read that somewhere else, do tell me where please.
Kumbaya, kumbaya etc. :)
jca111
says...
8:56pm Thu 2 Sep 10
So why are you so anti it?
Also why the childish insults? It gains you no weight in the debate, it just makes it appear that you have no proper counter argument?
Locked and Loaded
says...
10:13pm Thu 2 Sep 10
Now come along all together now, Kumbaya, Kumbaya. Now look you even got me singing the f'in choone. :)
Make Life
says...
8:17am Fri 3 Sep 10
porkpie
says...
1:29pm Fri 3 Sep 10
daveydavey
says...
6:10pm Fri 3 Sep 10
These tags work the same as the tags used by the courts to enforce home detention.
The tags look like a wristwatch with a grey rubberised plastic strap and are linked to a control box that is placed in the home of the detainee.
Although these ones give GPS data, they can only report as to the tags location.
Using a hair dryer or better still a paint stripper you can heat the strap which allows it to stretch slightly, allowing you to slip it of your ankle rendering the device useless as a means of knowing the persons location.
porkpie
says...
12:52pm Mon 6 Sep 10
daveydavey wrote:Well done for telling everyone. Must be great being you !
They are very easy to remove without triggering the alarm.
These tags work the same as the tags used by the courts to enforce home detention.
The tags look like a wristwatch with a grey rubberised plastic strap and are linked to a control box that is placed in the home of the detainee.
Although these ones give GPS data, they can only report as to the tags location.
Using a hair dryer or better still a paint stripper you can heat the strap which allows it to stretch slightly, allowing you to slip it of your ankle rendering the device useless as a means of knowing the persons location.
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Professor Tom Fahy is the clinical director of forensic services at SLaM
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mum2kids says...
9:00am Wed 1 Sep 10
I can just see the already stretched police force being able to go on a search for an unpredictable individual. By the time they do the paperwork, it will be too late.