Family fear for schizophrenic missing from hospital (From Your Local Guardian)

Schizophrenic man Andrew McArthur missing from hospital last seen heading to Shirley

10:35am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in Top Stories By Nick Hitchens

Family members are desperately searching for a young man with schizophrenia who walked out of a mental hospital yesterday evening.

Concern is increasing for Andrew McArthur, who has missed two medication appointments during his absence, and is suspected may be suffering from delusions.

The 27-year-old was last seen by staff at The Royal Bethlem Hospital at 5pm when he told them he was walking to nearby Tesco on Wickham Road, Shirley to pick up some small shopping items.

Sarah McArthur, his older sister, said: “He struggles with delusions. He is more a harm to himself than to anyone else. I can’t really imagine what he is going through.”

She revealed her mother Jean, who lives in Northumberland but was in London visiting, is now in Croydon and West Wickham searching for her son.

Miss McArthur said: “We think he may be trying to get to Northumberland. We know he called my mum’s number in Northumberland at about 7pm. He said help me and said he loved her.”

Mr McArthur was diagnosed with the mental illness when he was 18 and has struggled with treatment since, moving to the specialist unit in West Wickham last year.

Initial treatment had appeared to be working and staff considered him capable of going on short journeys unassisted.

Hospital staff raised the alarm when Mr McArthur failed to return to Royal Bethlem by 7pm Miss McArthur, who lives in Shepherds Bush, said: “He went missing once before from the home in Northumberland and drove to Belgium. We have had so many conversations with him about not going off. I just really hope he is ok.”

Bromley police have confirmed they have reports of a missing person and have asked anyone who sees him to call 101 quoting reference number CAD 8123