My friend Matt was rejected by the system

As a friend of the victim, and with direct experience of severe mental illness in my family, I can only endeavour to highlight the inadequacy of our mental health system and the obvious failings to those people most vulnerable to this kind of tragedy.

Unfortunately, the ironic nature of our "care" system is that those individuals suffering the most, who pose too many problems, are those individuals that are then first to be rejected.

The day-to-day experience within the system shows clearly this inadequacy.

From moving continually from one residence to the next, failing to provide adequate supervision while in care, and inconsistent involvement with health professionals has proven unacceptable when in this high-risk situation where stability, observation and attention are vital.

As in Matt's situation, not abiding by certain rules results in being thrown out of the particular residence; absurd considering those that disobey the rules are in need of most help.

In addition, many mentally ill at various points are encouraged to move into a flat on their own.

In Matt's case this action failed and resulted in a swift return to a secure unit and further disruption to a person who, before anything else, requires constancy.

In the case of a family member a signature for a tenancy agreement was sought from the patient without any family consultation.

I can only envisage that a council-run flat will be a cheaper way of housing the mentally ill as opposed to retaining them within the system.

The same individual was housed in a local charity-run homeless shelter and has received a much higher level of support, including structured supervision when taking medication.

It is a devastating fact that Matt was on the street with no medication after being rejected by the system that was supposed to care for him.

No questions have been asked to where he was or where he should be living, even though he had been a well-known mentally-ill patient for a number of years.

The friends of Matt were the only people who queried the situation, but did not have the facilities, knowledge or support to provide realistic help.

Ultimately, Matt is now off their hands and we really reveal the truth in the statement, "The Cheapest Patient is a Dead Patient".

Finally, this is to Matt, hoping that the future for the mentally ill will improve and prevent witness to any further untimely deaths, and we can leave this degree of unnecessary suffering in the past.

Jennifer O'Brien, 26, Worthing