Published
Video length: 4 mins.
A woman died after being thrown onto the RER tracks. The prosecution quickly transferred the suspect to a psychiatric hospital. How to manage mental disorders in the city, when professionals recognize a structural lack of means?
On tour all day, they are far from the image of caregivers in white coats. It is a team of nine people, made up of nurses, but also a psychiatrist and psychologists. They work at La Rochelle hospital (Charente Maritime)but outside the walls. Their mission, since 2009, is to facilitate psychiatric access to homeless people. Nurse Christopher Saillol approaches a group of individuals, the first of a long list. “Our job is to seek out people who have psychiatric disorders”says the nurse. He will also identify new ones by going to homeless aid associations. “It takes time for them to come to you”he continues.
Few students in psychiatry
After an appointment with the nurse, it is possible afterwards to meet the psychologist or the psychiatrist of the service, in the hospital or in a service which suits the patient. According to a study, one in three homeless people suffer from severe psychiatric disorders. The most common are depression and schizophrenia. Once the diagnosis is made, the team continues to go to the bedside of its patients. Tracking is beneficial for most people. If their mental state deteriorates too much, immediate hospitalization is possible. Devices like this exist in all departments, while medical specialization attracts very few today.