THE trainee clinical therapist who took over the mental health file of Derrinallum bomber Glenn Sanders conceded the file may have been closed prematurely.
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Brian Kelly, who no longer works at South West Healthcare, was employed at SWH's mental health service in Camperdown in October 2013 when Mr Sanders’ was transferred into his workload from outgoing clinical therapist Allan Woodward.
Under questioning during the coronial inquest into Mr Sanders’ death, Mr Kelly said he remembered nothing of the specifics surrounding Mr Sanders.
It seemed from SWH documents provided to the coroner’s court that Mr Kelly only had one phone conversation with Mr Sanders and no face-to-face contact between taking on Mr Sanders as a client in early October and Mr Sanders’ case file being closed in mid-December.
The case was closed due to a lack of engagement from Mr Sanders.
At the time of the closure, a risk assessment of Mr Sanders was completed by Mr Kelly’s superiors.
Coroner John Olle asked Mr Kelly if he felt that the one piece of contact he’d had with Mr Sanders preceding that risk assessment was adequate.
“I believe that was inadequate,” Mr Kelly said.
The one piece of contact involved a phone call from Mr Sanders telling Mr Kelly to stop sending him letters encouraging him to engage with Camperdown Mental Health Service.
Under questioning from the barrister for South West Healthcare, Mr Kelly agreed it would be very difficult to complete a risk assessment with someone who refused to engage with the mental health service, and that Mr Sanders was not compelled to do so.
There has been consistent evidence from health professionals and police that at no time did Mr Sanders meet the requirements for involuntary engagement with a mental health service.
The inquest has also heard that one of Mr Sanders’ biggest fears was being held against his will by a mental health service.
Mr Sanders was diagnosed with delusional disorder, but refused to believe he had a mental illness.