Crikey! Brianb certainly has command over some intemperate language -psycopathic administrators/criminally negligent - we have a considered diagnosis and a legal opinion in a single paragraph.

The lack of facilities - eventually administered by administrators, some of whom may indeed be psycopaths - was born out of political decision - like it or not the administrators played the hand they were dealt.

Following on from the Richmond report there were/are a number of civil libertarian zealots in the midst of the mental health professionals who in my experience seemed resigned to let people suicide with their rights on - how many times has brianb in hhis professional life seen suicidal persons left in general hospital wards after consulting with mental health professionals advised to 'Tell the nurse if you feel like hurting yourself" - now there's a strategy for you.

Yes the system is underfunded, yes you can point ot mal-administration but the professions can not walk away from some responsibility itself to the parlous state of services.

Why don't we seize assets of the Calabrian mafia (Ndrangheta), asian gangs etc who control the drug trade to fund mental health reform. This would need to be done without intervention of sharp lawyers who for their pieces of silver make the drug cartels untouchable. Association with the criminal groups, inability explain assets or income should be sufficient reason have them seized.