Jul 20th 2008 1:30am

Herald On Sunday

YOUNG MOTHER DIES AFTER CARERS SENT HER HOME

A YOUNG MOTHER took her life in a deliberately lit house fire _ less than a day after she was released from hospital care against her family's wishes.

The case is the latest in a string of patient deaths in the mental health system: all young New Zealanders whose distraught families say they've been let down because of chaotic care.

And the deaths continue to occur, despite a raft of inquiries.

Nicole Maconaghie, 34, died in the fire on the Kapiti Coast on June 26, less than 12 hours after being released from fulltime mental healthcare.

'I was told $80,000 had been spent on her and `we can't account for any more money; she just has to get on and live the best life she can',' said her mother Marion Thompson, who tried to tell carers it was an unwise decision. She felt her daughter was 'capable of anything'.

'There was no way she was able to look after herself on any level: emotionally, mentally or physically. She needed someone to be with her all the time. She felt like just a number. There were too few beds.

'I felt like she was disposable from [the doctor's] point of view'.

At 12.50am, Maconaghie set fire to her home and rang a helpline declaring what she had done.

Thompson has been told the helpline worker would not put her daughter through to the Crisis Assessment Treatment Team (CATT) as requested 'because it was late'.

Police were called, instead of the Fire Service. They arrived at the scene and on seeing the flames, called firefighters, but it was too late.

Thompson has been left to explain to Nicole's 3-year-old son Regan that 'your mum lives in a photo now'.

She said the healthline worker had since apologised, but she has had few answers from mental health staff.

Capital and Coast District Health Board said it had launched a review into Nicole's care.

Board director of area mental health services Anthony Duncan said in a written statement that staff had been deeply saddened by the death and 'we have expressed our sincere sympathies to the family'.

He said the decision to discharge the patient was planned and support was in place. Costs were never part of the discharge decision.

'We note that the decision to discharge this person from our inpatient ward was the result of a considered and comprehensive clinical treatment and follow-up plan,' said Duncan.

Thompson wants to tell her daughter's story because she feels let down by mental health bosses in Porirua: she wants answers and accountability and 'my God, I just don't want this to happen to anyone else'.

Maconaghie, who grew up in Papatoetoe, worked as a receptionist after leaving school. When she started feeling sore, stiff and rigid at the age of 27, she thought she had Occupational Overuse Syndrome.

However, the devastating diagnosis was incurable Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that causes balance problems, shaking and rigidity.

Parkinson's sufferers take a cocktail of drugs to keep symptoms controlled, so pregnancy is not recommended.

But in December 2004, Nicole featured in the Woman's Weekly , after defying the odds to give birth to Regan. She spoke then about the baby blues, and said her Parkinson's had flared up as she had not moved much because of the Caesarean birth.

Her struggle meant Regan ended up being raised by Thompson.

Maconaghie's struggles increased in recent years as the Parkinson's became increasingly debilitating.

At times her body would go rigid, a situation that could last for long periods, requiring help.

She first sought help from CATT six years ago over a relationship breakdown, but it was only six months ago that she sorely needed help _ she had tried to take her life 10 times.

On May 8 this year she was first hospitalised over a personality disorder, after being found unconscious in a park. Thompson says her daughter should not have been released so quickly, with so little assistance. Family should have also had a say.

'We feel mental health [services] let her down,' she said.

'When she was in hospital she was fine. She was fragile and vulnerable, but fine.'

Credit:Herald On Sunday