There will be more

Published: 15 April, 2010

• THE death of Jennyfer Spencer
(Alex: the unanswered questions, April 8) highlights how vulnerable disabled people are in the community.
Jennyfer appeared to have many friends but still died in squalor. Some will argue quite seriously that people have the right to live in squalor if they opt to reject health and social services.
It will be very interesting to know whether Jennyfer was assessed for mental health problems, quite apart from her great misfortune in suffering a double stroke in her late 30s.
Had she been properly treated for high blood pressure?
Fewer than half the people with serious mental health problems receive the annual physical examination GPs are paid to give them.
Mentally ill people die 10 to 30 years earlier than the mentally well living in the community.
Camden, like most other local authorities, has cut and continues to cut its mental health care.
There will be many more Jennyfer Spencers.
This is a measure of our current civilisation,
ANDREW INGLIS
Address supplied