From www.oneinfourmag.org
"'What do we do now?' - Mental health, user leadership and communities
One in Four conference 16th March"
Firstly, my advice is to go have a look for yourselves.
My view is what we have is another little clique that sets itself up as some 'expert group'..charging those who can least afford it...even if they are giving a concession to service users. £35 plus travel expenses, is alot to ask of people on the lowest incomes in the country!
How many groups have come before this. Remember the fanfare of spin that came from The National Service User Network (NSUN) and all that dosh they got from Comic Relief and Kings College Fund?. And what exactly has happened to them since, have they made any difference to the lives of people with severe MH problems and where did all that money go?
I know the media (as an entirity) doesn't like discussing mental illness unless it is some headline grabbing story of someone with mental illness running riot with a machete or some half cock theory on 'recovering the mentally ill through work' but surely fraud would be of some interest to them. Possibly 'The Guardian' that has finally jumped off the Happy Clappy bandwagon and started thinking a bit more independantly about what it is like to be mentally ill and the first to be facing the government firing line for no other reason than being mentally ill.
Just where is all the money, that these pseudo MH profs/organisations get, end up? I really think it is time people were told and the media would be best able to get in there and find out...and then share what they find out with the rest of us. Actually, maybe their heart just isn't in it. Mental illness isn't sexy enough. Hmmm..someone/people..somewhere must be able to access this information and get it out there.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
From Rethink site...Report by CQC
The latest report by the Care Quality Commission on the state of healthcare and adult social care, published today, shows that the standards of care for people with mental illness are patchy at best, and neglectful at worst, says charity, Rethink Mental Illness.
Despite people with mental illness being at greater risk of physical health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke, more than a third had not received enough support for their physical health needs and 27 per cent said they had, but only ‘to some extent’.
Despite regular reviews of medication being an indicator of good care, one fifth (19 per cent) had not been asked or couldn’t remember being asked about their medicine for 12 months or longer.
Rethink Mental Illness chief executive, Paul Jenkins, said: “Some of the figures in the CQC report make for grim reading. People with serious mental illness are among the most vulnerable in society and they are not getting the quality of care they need and deserve.
“With increasing numbers of people with mental illness receiving support in the community, access to crisis support is essential. Only just over half of the survey respondents (56 per cent) had an out-of-hours telephone number they could call despite the fact that of those people who did have a number, more than a third had called it in the last 12 months. It is vital that people have the support and help they need to avoid someone’s mental health deteriorating to the point of crisis,” he said.
Rethink Mental Illness is also concerned about people detained under the Mental Health Act. Its concerns about inadequate staffing and over crowded wards - only 21 per cent of the acute wards visited met the recommended 85 per cent bed occupancy – are reinforced by this report.
“We have also long been concerned about people on control orders, whose rights are deprived simply because they are ill and have called on Government to review the whole system. The report shows that the rate of new CTO’s averages nearly 370 a month – way ahead of initial estimates and we welcome the CQC’s further study of these,” says Paul Jenkins.
“It is heartening to see that the majority of people using community mental health services are positive about their contact with staff and this is certainly our own experience. However, what this report clearly shows there is an urgent need for action to drive up standards of care across the board and to ensure that the quality of mental health care is not the luck of the geographical draw,” said Paul Jenkins.
For more information, or to set up an interview please call Elaine Calvert, media relations manager, at Rethink on 020 7840 3132.
Despite people with mental illness being at greater risk of physical health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke, more than a third had not received enough support for their physical health needs and 27 per cent said they had, but only ‘to some extent’.
Despite regular reviews of medication being an indicator of good care, one fifth (19 per cent) had not been asked or couldn’t remember being asked about their medicine for 12 months or longer.
Rethink Mental Illness chief executive, Paul Jenkins, said: “Some of the figures in the CQC report make for grim reading. People with serious mental illness are among the most vulnerable in society and they are not getting the quality of care they need and deserve.
“With increasing numbers of people with mental illness receiving support in the community, access to crisis support is essential. Only just over half of the survey respondents (56 per cent) had an out-of-hours telephone number they could call despite the fact that of those people who did have a number, more than a third had called it in the last 12 months. It is vital that people have the support and help they need to avoid someone’s mental health deteriorating to the point of crisis,” he said.
Rethink Mental Illness is also concerned about people detained under the Mental Health Act. Its concerns about inadequate staffing and over crowded wards - only 21 per cent of the acute wards visited met the recommended 85 per cent bed occupancy – are reinforced by this report.
“We have also long been concerned about people on control orders, whose rights are deprived simply because they are ill and have called on Government to review the whole system. The report shows that the rate of new CTO’s averages nearly 370 a month – way ahead of initial estimates and we welcome the CQC’s further study of these,” says Paul Jenkins.
“It is heartening to see that the majority of people using community mental health services are positive about their contact with staff and this is certainly our own experience. However, what this report clearly shows there is an urgent need for action to drive up standards of care across the board and to ensure that the quality of mental health care is not the luck of the geographical draw,” said Paul Jenkins.
For more information, or to set up an interview please call Elaine Calvert, media relations manager, at Rethink on 020 7840 3132.
Latest Rethink Survey...Nothing New There, I am Afraid
Whilst straggling around Facebook (feeling like half frozen plate of piddle waiting to be flushed down the lavvy) came across a fleeting post about Rethink's latest survey.
Such as I gathered, before the post was deleted, quite possibly due to my comments around this not being new news at all but same old, same as....Rethink have found that most modern acute units are overcrowded.
FFS!!! How long ago was it ago that Mind did a similar survey and the outcomes were like this. Was it five years? Could be even longer.
Wish I could get hold of the survey to see what else it included....possibly things like:
Patients being left crying in the middle of reception areas, whilst visitors try and pacify them
People on detox for drug addiction stealing from other patients (and before people think I have total attitude towards drug addiction, I don't but I do think there is a strong case for focussed and specific rehab centres for addicts)
The high levels of violent behaviour, often aimed at other patients in acute care.
If I do manage to get hold of the survey, will copy details (such as they are) on here.
Can't help thinking that the next 'independant' survey on acute care...say 5 years down the line..will be saying the same thing or even worse.
Such as I gathered, before the post was deleted, quite possibly due to my comments around this not being new news at all but same old, same as....Rethink have found that most modern acute units are overcrowded.
FFS!!! How long ago was it ago that Mind did a similar survey and the outcomes were like this. Was it five years? Could be even longer.
Wish I could get hold of the survey to see what else it included....possibly things like:
Patients being left crying in the middle of reception areas, whilst visitors try and pacify them
People on detox for drug addiction stealing from other patients (and before people think I have total attitude towards drug addiction, I don't but I do think there is a strong case for focussed and specific rehab centres for addicts)
The high levels of violent behaviour, often aimed at other patients in acute care.
If I do manage to get hold of the survey, will copy details (such as they are) on here.
Can't help thinking that the next 'independant' survey on acute care...say 5 years down the line..will be saying the same thing or even worse.
Monday, 28 March 2011
Seems Ed Milliband (and 7 Labour MPs) do care about the sick and disabled.....so what now?
From> BenefitsandWork.co.uk
One very last chance for you to stop the harsh new ESA test
In spite of the fact that the harsh new work capability assessment (WCA), the medical test for employment and support allowance (ESA), became law today, there is still a chance of getting it cancelled.
But it does depend on you urgently attempting to persuade your MP to get off their . . . seat and do something useful before they go off on their Easter holidays next week.
Labour leader Ed Miliband and 7 Labour MPs tabled an early day motion on 23 March ‘praying’ for the new WCA to be annulled. New regulations like these can be overturned by a vote for up to 40 days after they were laid. Because the DWP messed up the laying of the regulations and had to lay them again, the 40 days does not run out until 6 April.
There is a huge irony in the labour party challenging the harsh new WCA when they actually drew it up themselves, but didn’t have time to implement it before being booted out of power. The line labour is taking to justify their u-turn is that the recommendations in the Harrington report should be implemented before any consideration is given to further changes to ESA.
And, whatever the reason for labour’s change of tactic, there is a chance that there could be a debate, a slim possibility there could be a vote and a tiny chance that the government could be defeated. We know that a similar process in the House of Lords ended in feeble surrender last week, but a tiny chance is better than no hope whatsoever.
So, please consider contacting your MP as a matter of urgency and ask them to support EDM 1651 to try to halt this shameful new test which discriminates against many seriously sick and disabled claimants including, for example, blind people with guide dogs.
One very last chance for you to stop the harsh new ESA test
In spite of the fact that the harsh new work capability assessment (WCA), the medical test for employment and support allowance (ESA), became law today, there is still a chance of getting it cancelled.
But it does depend on you urgently attempting to persuade your MP to get off their . . . seat and do something useful before they go off on their Easter holidays next week.
Labour leader Ed Miliband and 7 Labour MPs tabled an early day motion on 23 March ‘praying’ for the new WCA to be annulled. New regulations like these can be overturned by a vote for up to 40 days after they were laid. Because the DWP messed up the laying of the regulations and had to lay them again, the 40 days does not run out until 6 April.
There is a huge irony in the labour party challenging the harsh new WCA when they actually drew it up themselves, but didn’t have time to implement it before being booted out of power. The line labour is taking to justify their u-turn is that the recommendations in the Harrington report should be implemented before any consideration is given to further changes to ESA.
And, whatever the reason for labour’s change of tactic, there is a chance that there could be a debate, a slim possibility there could be a vote and a tiny chance that the government could be defeated. We know that a similar process in the House of Lords ended in feeble surrender last week, but a tiny chance is better than no hope whatsoever.
So, please consider contacting your MP as a matter of urgency and ask them to support EDM 1651 to try to halt this shameful new test which discriminates against many seriously sick and disabled claimants including, for example, blind people with guide dogs.
'Care Home Kids'....Neil Morrissey braves his past
Just finished watching Part 1 of 'Care Home Kids'(Beeb 4). It focussed mainly on Neil Morrissey wanting to find out why he and his brother ended up in care but as his investigations unravelled, he met up with several other people who had been either in the same care home as he had or the one his brother had been sent to.
He seems to have got off quite lightly, and that sounds almost like he shouldn't have...what I mean is thankfully, he didn't go through what many other children had to because, it is clear from what other people in the programme were saying, that the levels of abuse (both physically and mentally) were off the scale. I can never get my head round why the most uncaring and brutal of people seem to be in positions of great power over children..and how that is allowed to continue. Certainly back in the 70's and 80's abuse seems to have been rife in childrens' care homes in the UK.
Hmmm...got so many (bad) feelings running around me now is hard to keep any focus on this but what seems to be the biggest concern for Neil Morrissy is finding out if his brother (no longer alive)suffered the horrors that other children in that specific care home (think it was called 'Riverside') did. He says his bother never mentioned anything like that on the rare visits home, they both shared. However, I think that is more a testament to the 'closetted' environment he was kept in and maybe an early understanding he got that children in care homes were not valued in by anyone (including councils, governments, the media and society at large).
In the second programme (same time, same channel..next week) he, Neil, will be looking at modern care homes to see what has changed, if anything, for the better and what happens when the obligatory stay at care homes ends and teenagers are no longer the responsibility of the care home. As in what help, if any, is there and where they go from care.
I think this programme warranted a higher priority than it was given. I am not poo-pooing Beeb 4 but this is such a serious issue...it is so important within modern society and for people who have been, or are still in care homes, that it should be shown on BBC 1. We need to keep this out of the closet and keep making it main stream!!!
Just checked....the next showing is 31 March, Beeb 2, 9.00 pm
"Look Whose Talking" (now)
Have just responded (on Facebook) to Broken of Britain's comment about Ed Milliband..and yeah, okay, I got his name wrong last time. Shows what great impact this man has had on my thinking that!!!!
Seems he is being attacked for speaking at the protests that took place in London on Saturday. Before I write anything further, want to give out maximum respect to those who attended (those that could) and showed they cared about what is being done to this country. I gather there was alot of virtual protesting going on too (by those who, like me, were unable to attend in person). Fair play to them as well.
I couldn't participate on the day as I had my father home and he needs pretty constant monitoring. He is still apt to trip/fall over. What with that, a malfunctioning hair dye that took lumps of skin off me scalp and left me feeling very nauseus ...and a trip to the zoo with Em (which was kind of her and I am only sorry that I was too tired to fully appreciate the wonderful company and beautiful animals there)..am slaughtered..and heavy sedated here.
Anyway, back to Ed Milliband. I don't have a problem with him speaking at a protest rally. What I have a problem with is how late in the day he has left it to try and make any kind of stand. I thought he was actually planning to rest on his laurels with high possibility of Labour being voted into government in 4 years time.
So he went and he spoke...and it amounted to "Labour would be making cuts but not such severe ones". Do I believe it? I have my doubts...based on fact that it was the previous Labour Government that bought ATOS onto the scene. Yep, The Coalition may be using this organisation to maximum effect in regards to hammering the disabled of Britain but the Labour Party opened the door and let ATOS in!!!
The seeds of the brutalisation of disabled people were planted by the Labour Party!!!!
From where I sit what I gather is that The Labour Party, with Mr Milliband at the helm, need to be more honest about what they would be doing if they were in government now...and what, if anything, their elected MP's are doing NOW to stop the damage being done.
Monday, 21 March 2011
What this country needs is strong opposition parties
What it's got is David Milliband and although I think The Green Party are doing their best (well in certain aspects of their counter arguments)they are so few in numbers they get drowned out by the 'guffawing baffoons'.
Was it Dennis Healey, when asked about his opposite number's responses to his speech said "It was like being mawled by a sheep". That is what Cameron must think of Milliband cos that is what I think of him!!!
Yep, this country is fxcked...unless the public really do get so twatted off by what is being done to them that they/we take matters into their/our own hands. Fair play to the students and now the Doctors for saying "Shove it" but it takes a whole lot more....the masses.... to actually think like that and act on it.
Will it happen? It could but the British are really good at whining in corners and at each other and then rushing home in case they miss the latest episode of 'Easternderdale Street', 'X Factor Rejects Come Dine With Me Special For Not So Comic Relief', 'All Life Begins and Ends in Essex' and my personal fav 'My Big Fat Greek Yoghurt' (showing the many ways you can transform said yoghurt into a dining extravaganza).
Yep, this country is fxcked alright!!!!
S'use subtitles...was only original vid I could get, without all advertising junk thrown in.
Was it Dennis Healey, when asked about his opposite number's responses to his speech said "It was like being mawled by a sheep". That is what Cameron must think of Milliband cos that is what I think of him!!!
Yep, this country is fxcked...unless the public really do get so twatted off by what is being done to them that they/we take matters into their/our own hands. Fair play to the students and now the Doctors for saying "Shove it" but it takes a whole lot more....the masses.... to actually think like that and act on it.
Will it happen? It could but the British are really good at whining in corners and at each other and then rushing home in case they miss the latest episode of 'Easternderdale Street', 'X Factor Rejects Come Dine With Me Special For Not So Comic Relief', 'All Life Begins and Ends in Essex' and my personal fav 'My Big Fat Greek Yoghurt' (showing the many ways you can transform said yoghurt into a dining extravaganza).
Yep, this country is fxcked alright!!!!
S'use subtitles...was only original vid I could get, without all advertising junk thrown in.
And South Essex Partnership Trust wonders why it is the most failing trust in the region
The week after Minister for Health says the most complaints in regards to the National Health Service come from those using mental health services, I was not surprised to here that the Bedfordshire section of South Essex Partnerships Trust is the most failing trust in the region. What surprises me is that it is not the most failing Trust in the UK. God help (like that is ever going to happen) those people quote "served by" unquote that Trust!!
Below letter I sent to my MP....speaks for itself
Dear Mr Selous
I cannot believe that I am having to write to you again, nor does it give me any satisfaction doing so, but due to continual inefficencies and lack of appropriate communications between South Essex Partnership Trust and Central Bedfordshire Council I feel I have no choice but to write to you.
During late Autumn of 2010, I had a CPA review with Dr........ at Crombie House. During this meeting I explained that 3 hours per week of my personal assistant's time (which was being payed for through a Direct Payment) was not enough to ensure that I got the support that I needed when I needed it. For clarification what I asked for was an additional 3 hours (of personal assistant's time) and a payment specifically allocated to pay for personal assistant to attend therapeutic activities such as swimming, yoga or other wellbeing activities that promoted social inclusion and better mental health for myself.
On the day of the panel meeting my care co-ordinator was on annual leave and I was phoned up on the day by a locum care co-ordinator who told me she was about to attend the panel meeting and could I confirm what it was that was being sought (via the application already provided to the panel). I explained this to her and later on in the day, she rang me to back to say the panel refused the additional requests placed in the application but would pay for 3 hours of personnal assistant's time for 1 more year. She also stated that at the end of the year, the panel expected me to be fully independant. At the time I was quite disturbed by the last statement but relieved that, at least, I was going to get 1 more year of my personnal assistant's time.
I asked the locum care co-ordinator to get me a copy of my updated CPA review, in which the proposal to reapply for additional support through the Direct Payment was discussed as I wanted to go through this and ensure that there was in writing what was agreed at the meeting. I am still waiting for a copy of this paperwork.
I am also still waiting, although I asked both the locum care co-ordinator and my existing care co-ordinator who I saw last month and spoke to last week, for a copy of the formal paperwork from the panel meeting which confirms what was agreed at that metting in December. My care co-ordinator has advised me that nothing was forwarded from Central Bedfordshire Council and he was still awaiting to here back from the council having sent them an email asking for a copy of the paperwork.
I have spoken to someone at the Direct Payment's office, although it was an administrator. I have not been able to get in contact with anyone senior and would not know who to contact if I did. This lady advised me that all Direct Payments are for 2 year periods of time and she couldn't understand why I had not been informed of this. To be honest, Mr Selous, I have been informed of very little and most of the information needed I have had to ask for, rather than be provided with.
I no longer understand 1) How long my existing payment is actually for be it 1 or 2 years 2) what has happened to the formal paperwork from the panel meeting in December and my CPA review in Autumn 3) why I have to do all the work trying to manage people when I am seeking very specific support due to my illness, which should not warrant me time and time again having to keep chasing people up and getting nowhere. Thankfully, I have a level of intelligence (and I don't mean this disrepectfully to anyone) which means I do get the overall picture of organisations that are not communicating effectively with each other or their clients/patients and do not seem to care either. However, I am now having to take more medication to stop myself going over the edge. I am caught in a very vicious cycle..and I seek your help in order to, at least, get me copies of paperwork relevant to my support (as per agreements and legal requirements) and to endeavour as best as you can to get government organisations to do their jobs properly because if this is what is happening to me, I can only imagine what is happening to other people who are ill and maybe less able to express their needs and frustrations as I do.
Yours sincerely
Below letter I sent to my MP....speaks for itself
Dear Mr Selous
I cannot believe that I am having to write to you again, nor does it give me any satisfaction doing so, but due to continual inefficencies and lack of appropriate communications between South Essex Partnership Trust and Central Bedfordshire Council I feel I have no choice but to write to you.
During late Autumn of 2010, I had a CPA review with Dr........ at Crombie House. During this meeting I explained that 3 hours per week of my personal assistant's time (which was being payed for through a Direct Payment) was not enough to ensure that I got the support that I needed when I needed it. For clarification what I asked for was an additional 3 hours (of personal assistant's time) and a payment specifically allocated to pay for personal assistant to attend therapeutic activities such as swimming, yoga or other wellbeing activities that promoted social inclusion and better mental health for myself.
On the day of the panel meeting my care co-ordinator was on annual leave and I was phoned up on the day by a locum care co-ordinator who told me she was about to attend the panel meeting and could I confirm what it was that was being sought (via the application already provided to the panel). I explained this to her and later on in the day, she rang me to back to say the panel refused the additional requests placed in the application but would pay for 3 hours of personnal assistant's time for 1 more year. She also stated that at the end of the year, the panel expected me to be fully independant. At the time I was quite disturbed by the last statement but relieved that, at least, I was going to get 1 more year of my personnal assistant's time.
I asked the locum care co-ordinator to get me a copy of my updated CPA review, in which the proposal to reapply for additional support through the Direct Payment was discussed as I wanted to go through this and ensure that there was in writing what was agreed at the meeting. I am still waiting for a copy of this paperwork.
I am also still waiting, although I asked both the locum care co-ordinator and my existing care co-ordinator who I saw last month and spoke to last week, for a copy of the formal paperwork from the panel meeting which confirms what was agreed at that metting in December. My care co-ordinator has advised me that nothing was forwarded from Central Bedfordshire Council and he was still awaiting to here back from the council having sent them an email asking for a copy of the paperwork.
I have spoken to someone at the Direct Payment's office, although it was an administrator. I have not been able to get in contact with anyone senior and would not know who to contact if I did. This lady advised me that all Direct Payments are for 2 year periods of time and she couldn't understand why I had not been informed of this. To be honest, Mr Selous, I have been informed of very little and most of the information needed I have had to ask for, rather than be provided with.
I no longer understand 1) How long my existing payment is actually for be it 1 or 2 years 2) what has happened to the formal paperwork from the panel meeting in December and my CPA review in Autumn 3) why I have to do all the work trying to manage people when I am seeking very specific support due to my illness, which should not warrant me time and time again having to keep chasing people up and getting nowhere. Thankfully, I have a level of intelligence (and I don't mean this disrepectfully to anyone) which means I do get the overall picture of organisations that are not communicating effectively with each other or their clients/patients and do not seem to care either. However, I am now having to take more medication to stop myself going over the edge. I am caught in a very vicious cycle..and I seek your help in order to, at least, get me copies of paperwork relevant to my support (as per agreements and legal requirements) and to endeavour as best as you can to get government organisations to do their jobs properly because if this is what is happening to me, I can only imagine what is happening to other people who are ill and maybe less able to express their needs and frustrations as I do.
Yours sincerely
Monday, 14 March 2011
Dispatches - Britain's Secret Fat Cats
8.00 pm, Channel 4, tonight.
Let's see who is actually getting the cream!!!!
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Latest Letter to MP, who asked me to contact him if I had further need of him
Dear MP
Thank you for your reply to the copy of the email I sent to important person at local council. I know there were ongoing issues for 2 year's prior to my father going into residential care. These included misdiagnosis by a psychiatrist, lack of appropriate support from both mental health services and social services, which I believe led to his suicide attempt.
During this time and up until autumn of last year, my father was in a hell of a state and I know that you were aware of the impact this had on my mental health. I am grateful that my father was, eventually and with my constant fighting for his wellbeing to be given priority, placed in residential care and now seems to have a combination of psychiatric medications which have lifted his mood to a point where he is less miserable and more able to interact with people within the care home and myself and my daughter.
However, I am not satisfied that any lessons have been learnt by the MH Trust, who having showed me the report they did in regards to an investigation I pressed for..refused to let me have a copy.
My main concern now is that what we have are layers of bureaucracy (both within MH and Social Services) that cover themselves...rather than acknowledge the damage the lack of appropriate intervention, when needed, and lack of providing transparent and honest information, when requested, does not only to people in crisis but also to the trust that was building between patients and the people designated to provide care to them.
I think this is an on-going problem. I have requested information...and very specific information in regards to decisions made about both mine and my father's care (viz a vie Direct Payments agreements and Residential Care agreements made at panel level). Either the information has taken months to be provided or has not been provided at all. Which has led me to believe that either people have acted neglectfully or deliberately have avoided providing the information, that was sought.
I am sure you appreciate how frustrating this is for me. I am a person who needs to know why things are how they are and to be provided the truth...as does my father. In fact, my father becomes quite paranoid if he thinks information is being kept from him.
I am not sure that you can do anything to change this. However, as a government, I believe the party you represent can do alot to enforce changes within existing care services and I don't mean to the detriment of them but to get rid of the ludicrous levels of bureaucracy, the with-holding of significant information to patients and to make these services more transparent and responsive to patient needs.
For your information, I have not heard back from the important person at the local council, since I sent the last email to him and this is nothing new for me, when dealing with public services. I think it is a case of only responding if they have and/or are legally obliged to.
Yours sincerely
Mandy Lawrence
Thank you for your reply to the copy of the email I sent to important person at local council. I know there were ongoing issues for 2 year's prior to my father going into residential care. These included misdiagnosis by a psychiatrist, lack of appropriate support from both mental health services and social services, which I believe led to his suicide attempt.
During this time and up until autumn of last year, my father was in a hell of a state and I know that you were aware of the impact this had on my mental health. I am grateful that my father was, eventually and with my constant fighting for his wellbeing to be given priority, placed in residential care and now seems to have a combination of psychiatric medications which have lifted his mood to a point where he is less miserable and more able to interact with people within the care home and myself and my daughter.
However, I am not satisfied that any lessons have been learnt by the MH Trust, who having showed me the report they did in regards to an investigation I pressed for..refused to let me have a copy.
My main concern now is that what we have are layers of bureaucracy (both within MH and Social Services) that cover themselves...rather than acknowledge the damage the lack of appropriate intervention, when needed, and lack of providing transparent and honest information, when requested, does not only to people in crisis but also to the trust that was building between patients and the people designated to provide care to them.
I think this is an on-going problem. I have requested information...and very specific information in regards to decisions made about both mine and my father's care (viz a vie Direct Payments agreements and Residential Care agreements made at panel level). Either the information has taken months to be provided or has not been provided at all. Which has led me to believe that either people have acted neglectfully or deliberately have avoided providing the information, that was sought.
I am sure you appreciate how frustrating this is for me. I am a person who needs to know why things are how they are and to be provided the truth...as does my father. In fact, my father becomes quite paranoid if he thinks information is being kept from him.
I am not sure that you can do anything to change this. However, as a government, I believe the party you represent can do alot to enforce changes within existing care services and I don't mean to the detriment of them but to get rid of the ludicrous levels of bureaucracy, the with-holding of significant information to patients and to make these services more transparent and responsive to patient needs.
For your information, I have not heard back from the important person at the local council, since I sent the last email to him and this is nothing new for me, when dealing with public services. I think it is a case of only responding if they have and/or are legally obliged to.
Yours sincerely
Mandy Lawrence
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