Are hospital mental health teams failing us?

[Nicola M]

I don’t know if anyone has had any support from a hospitals mental health team but this is my experience and as a whole I think they’re failing us.

I was in hospital last month for something diabetes related, stripped to the bare they obviously found my self harm scars and immediately they informed my parents I would be seen by someone from the mental health team. 2 days later still no visit and I was being discharged by the hospital themselves, my mother asked about the mental health team to a nurse but was met with dodgy looks as if she’d said something wrong. Fast forward a couple weeks and I went to my local doctors for a check up, upon being their I learnt that the mental health team claimed to have tried to see me but I had “self discharged” which was clearly untrue.

As someone with depression it makes you believe that actually they don’t care about you and are just trying to save their asses, are they stretched to their limits? Probably. But if something had of happened to me who would be to blame except for them for not doing their jobs in the first place. Small rant but have to get this off my chest somewhere.

To summarise though I am okay and have good support from my local doctors & family!

 

[endocrinegremlin]

Yes. I was referred by my GP to a mental health team 5 months ago. Still don't even have a letter. The diabetics team say their one nurse won't be available for possibly a year.

This is why diabetics end up in dire straights.

 

[wolfie11969]

In the good old UK there is an issue throughout the NHS of oversubscribed services and lack of money.

MH services had a huge 'wage cut' as the Govt were supposedly trying to save money. What they didnt anticipate was the number of people needing these services due to the constant pressure of life.

My suggestion - go to see your supportive GP and ask for a referral to MH services. Depending on your area you could wait up to about a year. In the meantime look to charities such as MIND, Saneline, National Self Harm Forum and use their services to help you through until you get to the top of the list.

Be realistic in what MH services can do for you. Most like you to put work in alongside them so you can allieviate the symptoms around your condition. It's a long road (I know I've been with MH services since I was 14 and I'm now approaching 50. I've just turned down another bout of psychotherapy as I feel I've had a fair few years of it and I feel someone else could make use of that space.)

If you look online you will find the numbers for the chairties I have mentioned. And you will find others if you need them.

Good luck to you as I know it must have been hard for you to put your post up.

If you need further information please feel free to message me

 

[ally1]

Since the mental health funds have been cut back drastically, trying to get any help from them can be non excitation, if a more serious mental health illness, people can wait months for any help.
I have bipolar, about 3 years ago, I was heading for rock bottom. I waited 4 months to see a cpn, saw her once, she passed me onto a support worker. Saw him for 2 visits and that was to give me a club to attend once a month, which I went once, it turned out to be for pensioners. Nothing wrong in that but am not in that age bracket.
There are just not enough psychs, cpn,s and support workers, so hence why very few people get to see one and then will only get the odd visit.