SIR – Re your story ‘River bridge jump drama’ (Worcester News, August 6).

I would like to add my thoughts to the comments made by some bystanders about the obviously vulnerable and unfortunate man who felt desperate enough to jump into the river Severn from Worcester Bridge.

As a result it caused traffic hold-ups and the police and emergency services were called out.

How can anyone say “a cry for help” is attention-seeking behaviour when it entails someone realising that by jumping into the river he is more than likely to die.

A cry for help is just that and unfortunately for this vulnerable victim of our increasingly uncaring society, his cries have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears.

Yet again this man was discharged from hospital but without being referred to the mental health team, who hopefully would have made a proper assessment of his mental health needs.

This is an oft-repeated story within a certain section of our society that is being let down by a greatly underfunded mental health department – the ‘Cinderella’ of the NHS.

Many mental health beds and wards have been closed with patients treated in the community on a very shortterm care basis which just pays lip service to the ‘tick list’. This does not give individuals with mental health problems any proper chance of recovery.

What is needed is more psychologists and psychotherapists to give patients the time required and coping strategies in order to enable them to become integrated members of the community.

When are we going to get our priorities right?

When are we going to be able to empathise with individuals less fortunate than ourselves who are in crisis without judgement and criticism?

For many of us could quite easily say: “There but for the grace of God go I and my family and friends.”

G LOWMAN Worcester