Charged with murder after being lost in the system
Neither the mental hospital of the Landspitali nor the mental health team of the Eastern Institute of Health (HSA) recognizes that it has had it in its jug of conducting the follow -up and treatment of Alfreð Erlings Þórðarson after he was discharged from the compulsion of the psychiatric department in June.
Alfreð was sentenced to 12 weeks of forced in May last year following violent behavior which is believed to be his psychiatric disorder but was discharged two weeks later without receiving treatment.
Alfreð is charged with killing older couples in Neskaupstaður in August last year. The act was committed within the 12 -week period in which he was ruled in forced, but such a ruling expires at graduation. He was without treatment or follow -up when the killings were committed. It was despite the fact that in a psychic during compulsion, he was said to be possibly dangerous to himself and others.
According to sources mbl.is, it was the understanding of healthcare professionals in the mental hospital of Landspitali that Alfreð had been discharged in the hands of the Mental Health team of the East and that follow -up was in the hands of that institution. However, no one recognizes such communication at HSA.
Clicks too often
Sigurlín Hrund Kjartansdóttir, team manager of the HSA Mental Health Team, says many cases that the system of Landspitali and HSA does not speak together.
Thus, they « often » do not know « when the client from there is graduated from the mental hospital of Landspitali and not actually enrolled either.
« If I send a patient with an ambulance to Reykjavik, I see nothing about what is done, who speaks to him, what the assessment is until the letter is sent. And it clicks all too often, ”says Sigurlín.
Would have been incompetent
Sigurlín says he cannot comment on the case of individual individuals, in this case Alfreð Erling. Still, as he was never in service within HSA's mental health team.
Among other things, it is shown that the psychiatrist with a contract with HSA, Kristinn Tómasson, made the psychic and testified in court. His involvement in the case in earlier stages would have made him disqualified.
Alfreð stayed in a hotel room in Reydarfjordur, which was provided by him by the Social Services in Fjarðabyggð after the east came. In other respects, he was inaccurate until the work of the man came on August 21, when the couple was murdered with a hammer in his home in Neskaupstaður.
See no medical data from Landspitali
« Sometimes the relevant institution sends an electronic discharge letter that goes to the health care of the legal domicile, usually to the chief physician who goes over it. But often there is just no letter sent. Then the system in the area does not know because the individual is discharged, ”says Sigurlín.
« Sometimes the system does not even know because it is enrolled. We see medical supplies from SAk (Akureyri Hospital) in our system, but we are completely blind to the mental hospital of the Landspítali, ”says Sigurlín.
« The medical system is so complicated, there are many versions in progress. They are trying to coordinate them and open them, but today I do not see if my client, for example, has gone into an acute discipline on BUGL and been discharged two days later, until it comes a letter about what does not necessarily happen in the same week. «
No one knows where the client is
According to her, the position may arise that a person is released after compulsory stay without anyone from the system knowing where the legal domicile is. Neither the social services, the health institution nor the police authorities.
« This has to be fixed, » says Sigurlín.
« When there is such a serious matter, such as a compulsory stay, the psychiatric ward who applies for the compulsion is clearly responsible for having the person in question. If this is to be done, you have to do so with a medical letter or conversation. «
A shorter version is published earlier today and part of Sigurlín's interview appears in the Austurgluggan.
