As November draws to a close, it is important to reflect upon the Movember campaign, which highlights much-needed attention to men’s mental health and the silent struggles many continue to endure. Despite growing awareness, men remain significantly less likely than women to seek help for psychological distress. As a result, they often present later, when symptoms have escalated or a critical incident has already occurred.
For our Medical Negligence team, this pattern is deeply concerning. We increasingly see cases where opportunities for early intervention, or intervention at all, have been missed, with devastating consequences.
Barriers to seeking help
Social expectations around masculinity continue to discourage many men from acknowledging emotional difficulties or reaching out for support. Shame, stigma and fear of judgement can delay that crucial first conversation with a GP or mental health professional. When someone does take the step to ask for help, it is vital that the healthcare system responds appropriately. A missed diagnosis, poor risk assessment or delayed referral can cause significant and avoidable harm.
Common areas of mental health-related negligence
While most healthcare professionals work diligently under challenging conditions, failures in care do occur. In the cases we investigate, several issues arise repeatedly:
- Failure to recognise depression or escalating symptoms: Men may present differently, through irritability, anger, substance misuse or withdrawal,rather than overt sadness. If these indicators are overlooked, symptoms can deepen without appropriate support.
- Inadequate suicide risk assessment: Any disclosure of suicidal thoughts requires a structured assessment, clear documentation and a management plan. When this does not happen, patients may be left without essential safeguarding, particularly given current pressures on mental health services.
- Delayed or inappropriate referral to specialist services: Long waiting times are unavoidable, but unnecessary delay or failure to escalate high-risk cases can constitute negligence when harm was foreseeable.
- Poor communication and follow-up: Mental health care relies on continuity, especially when medication begins, risk levels increase or symptoms worsen. Missed reviews or unclear safety plans leave patients without crucial oversight.
The real-world impact
Families who approach us after a mental health-related incident often describe the same sense of confusion and grief: they knew their loved one was struggling, they sought help, but something critical was missed. For men already battling internal stigma, reaching out even once can be an act of immense bravery.
David* was known to medical and psychiatric services, he presented with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and violent visual hallucinations. He repeatedly attempted to harm himself while under hospital care, even while accompanied by 1:1 staff. On separate occasions he had overdosed, self-harmed and taken multiple attempts on his life.
Despite ongoing high-risk behaviours, he was discharged to a separate team, then later readmitted under enhanced 1:1 observation due to his history of overdose. Whilst a patient, staff failed to carry out observations for fear of agitating David. When checked shortly after, David was found unresponsive. Despite attempts at resuscitation, he died.
There was an inquest following David’s death. The coroner concluded that several breaches of the enhanced care policy occurred during the shift in which he obtained and took the fatal quantity of medication.
David’s story is one of many highlighting the ongoing failings in recognising and responding to men’s mental health needs.
How Tees supports individuals and families
Our Medical Negligence team represent clients who have suffered harm due to substandard mental health care. We investigate concerns, obtain expert evidence and help families understand whether failures in assessment, communication or treatment fell below acceptable standards.
Where negligence is proven, we seek compensation to support recovery, secure ongoing care and acknowledge the harm experienced. Equally important, we aim to highlight systemic issues so that lessons are learned and future failings prevented.
Giving you the full picture
Movember reinforces what we see in our work; men need timely access to understanding, evidence-based, mental health support. Achieving this requires ongoing awareness, reduced stigma and robust clinical practice across all healthcare settings.
If you or someone you know has concerns about mental health treatment received, our team at Tees is here to offer guidance and reassurance.
*Names have been changed to protect client privacy.
