Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: drkev on 25/10/2006 20:40:59
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I am facing a serious moral dilemma. I am seriously concerned about the mental health of a man I worked for. He has been displaying increasingly erratic and strange behaviour. He is suffering from feelings of persecution and is very delusional. However, all of this could potentially have a reasonable explanation. It is only because I have worked closely with this man that I recognise these things. Also, he drinks 24 cans of Stella a day and is always drunk. What makes this worse is that this man runs a private ambulance service and works in this state. Another colleague who is a qualified and experienced paramedic shares my concerns.
He physically attacked me for booking a day off through another director and he strangled another member of staff at a petrol station for asking for a bottle of water.
But then he gave a completely different explanation and version of events when he was challenged about it. He even went as far as lying to the Police.
EVERYONE is out to destroy his business (apparently) even the shareholders.
However my problem is this, are these the rantings of a mad man? Or is He just a crook out to make a fast buck and lying in order to do so? Should I report him to the mental health team? Or am I just an angry ex employee?
What should I do? Who should I speak to?
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Hi Kevin - I can't tell you what you should do, only you can decide that. I was in a similar situation years ago.
I had a lot of info on my former employer that could've ruined him. Not only his business, but his marriage as well. Although I felt his wife needed to know about certain events I struggled with the decision to tell or not to tell. I also had the opportunity to get him in serious legal trouble. I worried about what to do for weeks. I had to ask my self, would I be telling to be honorable or would I be telling to ruin his life? After asking these questions of myself the answer was quite clear. Don't tell. That's one of the few decisions I've ever made that I didn't regret.
Hope you are able to come to a decision that makes you comfortable.
Carolyn
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the thing is if I don't say anything then people could die the man is working on ambulances drunk and his behaviour is getting more and more erratic and people are getting hurt. His lies are becoming worse and worse.
I do not know if I want to report him for his own good or to destroy him I think it is a bit of both. If someone got hurt or died I don't think I could live with that.
A Paramedic also agrees that this man has mental health issues and when I phoned the social services mental health team they also agree that he has problems but they are not sure how to proceed or if they should. I called the police and they said that as long as he isnt driving they cant do anything about it. The assaults have been reported but he manages to find fake witnesses and lies through his back teeth so he gets away with it.
Sometimes he genuinely believes that his version of events really did happen and that is what is worrying. I am angry that this man can ruin my life and get away with it so is this revenge or am I actually concerned? Personally I think he can burn in hell but I also think the public need to be protected from him.
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Hi Kevin,
In my personal opinion alcohol alone could explain this type of behaviour.
But having this man recognize his problem and do something about it might be almost impossible. You are not alone in having to face situations like this.
Every 'family' has got one.
Take care
iko
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It is a horrible situation to find yourself in, but you have indicated that you think the decision you make may imping upon the safety of others, and this alone is something you must place high on your list of criteria upon which to make your decision. If someone else were to die, or be seriously injured, and you felt that you could have saved their life or protected them from injury if only you had acted, how would you feel.
The difficulty as I see it is not so much about whether you should tell, but whom to tell, or even whether you would be believed (you would need very solid evidence for any allegation you make, and you should try and approach any regulatory body that might possibly have an interest in this persons activity, but try and minimise the publicity as far as you can).
You must be clear that you are not out to destroy the guy, but you must as far as is within your power make him harmless to others.
That at least is my own opinion on the matter.
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Kevin, I have to agree with George. I just finished up all my recertification tests the last two days and I had one about violence in the work place...this is serious for the workers as well as others...It will escalate and get worse...if it is your priority that the safety and wellbeing come first...then so be it!
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I spoke to some other healthcare professionals: two paramedics, a social worker and a nurse and they all agree that this man has a mental health problem. I have reported him to the local mental health team who also agree that he appears to have a problem although they need to assess him properly before they can decide (obviously!)
I spoke to a solicitor colleague this morning as employment law is not an area I specialised in. My colleague went over our paperwork as said there is no possible way this man can defend our claims as the evidence is stacked against him but any victory would be a moral victory only as it is unlikely He will have the funds to settle once we win.
I have also approached his customers and informed them of our concerns as we have a duty as healthcare professionals to protect the public and a failure to report this would possibly be an offence on our part.
My dilemma concerned my reasons for reporting him. I still question whether I reported him just because I was concerned or because part of me held a grudge against the man. I think it is a bit of both but with so many concerned healthcare professionals I think this is more than a grudge.
Several people have been injured by this man's violent ourbursts and He gets more violent each time. Several healthcare professionals have said that He is clearly an alcoholic and this is probably the root of his problem and I am inclined to agree. Opinions are like arseholes - everyone has got one! My opinions unfortunately are just that as I am not a qualified mental health practitioner.
The Police are not interested but hopefully the organisations paying him to drive their patients around will be.
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have also approached his customers and informed them of our concerns as we have a duty as healthcare professionals to protect the public and a failure to report this would possibly be an offence on our part.
My dilemma concerned my reasons for reporting him. I still question whether I reported him just because I was concerned or because part of me held a grudge against the man. I think it is a bit of both but with so many concerned healthcare professionals I think this is more than a grudge.
Kevin
Go ahead Kevin,
I am with you knowing what you feel when you think to have enough informations to eventually avoid useless suffering in many innocent people. You should not care about anybody thinking that you may do it for your own interest. Remove that stalling idea and act.
Take care
iko
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Kev, please please realise that by reporting him to the health professionals you are also doing him a favour! We had major problems with someone and now, finally, they are getting the care that they need. Also, you have a duty of care to your customers and yourself.