Charity Workers Chat with Dead Woman, Then Leave

Reuters ^ | November 14, 2002

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

LONDON (Reuters) - Two British mental health workers visited a woman patient, chatted with her, and then left without realizing she was dead, newspapers said on Thursday.

An inquest heard the workers from the mental health charity Mind let themselves into the home of paranoid schizophrenic Patricia Harris and found her sitting in the kitchen with the curtains drawn and her back to them.

After saying hello, they tried talking to Harris, 43, but when she failed to respond they left, the Daily Mail reported. "She didn't seem to want us there," health worker Helen Redmond was quoted as saying.

The next day, two other health workers on a follow-up visit discovered she was dead.

[Portnoy]

You know, John Edwards charges $300 and hours to talk to dead people. Betchya these people weren't getting a fraction of that....

[Blood of Tyrants]

"She's not dead! She's just resting!"

Monty Python bump!

[litehaus]

Candidates for "child welfare worker" in Florida??

[per loin]

Two British mental health workers

Notice to Universities: Include instruction on recognition of life-impaired patients.

[Willie Green]

Sadly, we already have a winning candidate for that position today:

Penn State sorority sisters party; tot home alone

[ibbryn]

Well thank G-D they left. Social workers are annoying enough as it is. I don't want them hounding me after I'm dead.

[jellybean]

An inquest heard the workers from the mental health charity Mind let themselves into the home of paranoid schizophrenic Patricia Harris and found her sitting in the kitchen with the curtains drawn and her back to them.

A Mind is a terrible thing to waste.

[guitfiddlist]

Monty Python bump!

As well as a Fawlty Towers bump - starring John Cleese - in "The Kipper and the Corpse". Cleese to corpse: "Oh, so bloody nice talking with you then...thank you SO much!"

[joesnuffy]

She was a perfect patient ...never questioned or interupted...

[SES1066]

The key here is "paranoid schizophrenic" which does excuse a lot. Depending upon the medication load, this can be an expected response for an absolute nightmare of a disease. Yes, the workers should have looked at her more closely and I'm sure that they sincerely wish that they had, but I can't fault them overly much. Just looking at a PS patient can set off a paranoid episode by itself. This truely is a 'No Joy' scenario.

[blackdog]

Where is John Cleese when you need him?

Maybe they were just tired from being up all night shagging?

[DainBramage]

chatted with her a bit

"Ummm Mrs. Harris...you should do something about all these flies......"

"Well okay then, we'll be on our way, toodles hip hip and all that."

[zingzang]

And who says socialized medicine doesn't work!? :p

[Jaxter]

If it had been in South Dakota they'd have registered her to vote.

[Dallas]

.

[mhking]

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[Consort]

What did they charge for the seance?

[elbucko]

If it had been in South Dakota they'd have registered her to vote.

LOL! And drove her around in a limo to vote a few times more.