Philosophy of The Big Society

David Cameron gets to be God!

Thursday 18 December 2008

Working My Way through The (S)Hit List!!!

Due to recent goings on, a couple of important 'To Do's' have been put on the back burner.

Have now had time and space, and although still have a cold, am managing to get out of bed and with enough energy (at least for now) to start doing again.

Things that needed my attention

1)Writing letter to head office of credit card supplier in regards to companies being allowed to take money from my credit card without my authorisation. Duly written and in the post.

2) Reponse to the Manager of the Emergency Duty Team (whose email was pretty lame and was basically saying that I was victimising them because they are under-resourced)

3) The paperwork from the local council. That is in the pending file until I get the next lot of re-assessment paperwork.

4) Getting to GP and ensuring I have enough lorazepam to tide me over into the new year. Possibly, in light of discussions with shrinky dink last Monday, I will ask for a month's supply. That way I am not wasting time and appointments (which other people could make better use of) going to the GP every 2 weeks. Will make appointment on Monday to discuss this with GP.

So far so, relatively, good. As in at least I know where I am at with all this.

And for anyone interested in how the saga, in regards to out of hours crisis support is going, this is my response:

Dear ......

I have now read through ............'s(Manager of the Emergency Duty Team) response and wish to respond directly to them. If that is not possible, then could you kindly forward my response?

I will copy you and Acute Services Director into my response and also my MP because I am very disatissfied. In fact, I feel quite insulted by being advised that the Samaritans are an organisation that should/could be contacted in crisis situations. I feel the responsibility for providing the right care, certainly in regards to my father’s situation, should lay with MH services and/or the Emergency Duty Team.

I do think there needs to be a more integrated, comprehensive and user friendly crisis system (network) delivered by BLPT and Social Services. However, from what Acute Services Director told me at the resolution meeting, they are looking into crisis intervention provided by Beds and Luton Partnership Trust. I am satisfied, for the time being, that this provides an opportunity to make crisis care/support a more service user focussed set of services in the future. However, in the present, I am not satisfied that should my father need crisis care, it will be easily accessible to him (and certainly not out of the working hours of his community mental health team).

As I stated before, our situation is, if not unique, quite rare, in that both my father and myself suffer mental illness (without a local family/friendship network) who are able to help us. Therefore, there are times, crisis times, when we have and may well still need crisis care and getting it should not be like trying to work our way through an obstacle course.

I am copying ......MP into this communication as I wish him to be aware that things have not been resolved to my satisfaction and I would like to keep him up to date on what is going on and what I think are the problems for people (like my father and myself) when trying to get appropriate care in extremely frightening and potentially life threatening situations.

Yours etc-ingly

10 comments:

  1. Mandy, you're a star. I certainly wouldn't pick a fight with you.

    It might be interesting to write to the Samaritans, enclose copies of the relevant parts of the communications and ask them for a response.

    I don't think it's fair on the Samaritans to take on the role of providing crisis care for people like ourselves, who are supposedly fully engaged with the mental health services.

    My own "making-the-world-a-better-place" tasks for today, have rather got lost under an acute bout of agrophobia/social phobia, coupled with an intense desire to have get a job - interesting combination, eh?

    However, the night is young and I think I'll crack on with Trust Watch's promo handout - it's quite funky really; a credit card sized, 8 page booklet with highlights from the blog.

    I was going to do some posters for the library, but I don't think they'd keep them up long, once they visit ftw hq.

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  2. Ps. could anyone see if they can get any response from our Trust website and let me know the result?

    http://www.cpft.nhs.uk

    I'm getting the heebeegeebee's that it's only blocked for IP addresses associated with Foundation Trust Watch.

    foundation.trust.watch@[REMOVETOMAIL]gmail.com

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  3. Ha! Ha! FTW

    Maybe I am a feisty one but I shouldn't be feeling the necessity to be writing to organisations and certainly not chasing their tails. Is more a case of if I don't, then who will?

    Apathy rules UK!

    I think the manager writing that I could contact The Samaritans was either them taking the mickey or them saying that they think their services are ineffective. Either way it was a pretty bloody stupid thing to put in writing.

    Perhaps I should say that they can contact the lawyers that BLPT use because they might well need them in future.

    Agoraphobia sucks. At present am fighting mine with some stubborn stoicism. Works well when I have it..not so well when am internally combusting. If you were here would be sharing a big mug of hot choccy, with squirty cream and mini marshmallows.

    Looking forward to seeing the 8 page booklet...do I get a copy for being a fellow pain the arse to the powers that be?

    :>)

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  4. I can't get access to the website either...maybe my IP address is blocked too but cant' see why your Trust would be wanting to block me..I never visit it and don't intend to start now.

    I think is most probably a technical blip although Trust's blocking access wouldn't surprise me. Not much they do surprises me but I would like to be pleasantly surprised by something they do.

    TTFN

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  5. I'll certainly send you a booklet or two.

    I think the Trust's website has been taken down for an early spring clean and general sanitizing, since FTW left them a message of bonhomie and goodwill to all.

    (No matter, I keep copies of everything, including their web pages. Any censorship, rewriting, air brushing, will be publicly exposed)

    One of our chaps is in the middle of some very interesting research concerning the work-place, internet activities of the Trust's Worker-Drones. I fear one of his correspondents may have run squealing to the Trust to warn them of impending exposure...

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  6. Mandy
    You are always so busy no wonder you feel drained at times. I do admire you though, but make sure you have time for yourself and to just chill.
    Lareve x

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  7. Thanks FTW

    Looking forward to reading what your researcher finds out about the 'drones'.

    I have visions of an army of dead faces walking round in suits saying "Join us now, the Trust is good, the Trust is great"

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  8. Hi Lareve

    I used the morning energy rush to get on and do.

    Have also walked to the local post box twice and round to Dad's, although he is in hermit mode. Any enthusiasm about trying the new drug has disappeared in another battle he is losing at present.

    I understand..for some new meds means the possibility of a change in mental state (yep clutching at straws time) but long term depression...that is the total pits.

    However, if I dwell I will end up in there with him. I need to keep some feeling of independance whilst still doing what I can for him (which equates to not much really).

    I keep wondering if the Third Reich approach, that his brother has, might help. Certainly, my softly softly isn't motivating him in any way. Wondering if moving to Germany could change him and his life. Personally, my Uncle racks me off with his ordering about but perhaps that is Dad wants. I dunno...is all beyond me.

    All I can do is rattle along here...doing bits and pieces and hoping things will improve for Dad.

    And yep, tonight I am dossing. Got an early start tomorrow. A friend has offered to take Suki and me to her vet's appointment. A check up to see how dicky her ticker is. Not to dicky, I hope. She is a lovely constant in my life.

    You rest up too there xxx

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  9. You know I can't help thinking the trust should be done for discrimination under the Disability Act.Actually I was wondering what other outside MH professionals would think of the behaviour of those in BPLT.Crikey the Samaritans have their uses, but crisis intervention for the mentally ill is pushing it.BPLT has a duty to provide statutory services to those in need & if they don't they need dealing with in an appropriate manner.

    Anyway good luck with all that & same with all the other shit going on.Hope Suki gets on ok at vets.

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  10. Hi Sis

    The dilemma in Bedfordshire is that the Emergency Duty Team is a cover all service run by Social Services and not properly either!

    I am trying to work out which is the appropriate Ombudsman to take my complaint to but am keeping the MP in the chain because I think he needs to be part of the decision making process too. After all he is paid to represent his constituents and act on things that are in their best interest.

    If I struggle to get appropriate responses from this service then there must be other people who do to.

    On a plus... got Suki to the vet's appointment and she is doing fine. The vet says he thinks the heart murmur was found in time to treat it and, hopefully, she will live a long life on the tablets.

    That makes for a pretty good Christmas present xxx

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