Who, What, How, When and Why....DOH!

Latest letter to Mental Health Trust:


Dear (Complaints Manager)


I have written to you, as I do not have a telephone contact number or email address for (Director of Community Teams).

I do have some concerns in regards to the notes of the meeting. My most pressing one is the references to my father being subject to meeting fair access to care criteria. This means very little to me. As far as I am aware what was agreed at that meeting is what was going to be put into action. I do understand that there has to be care criteria but my father has now been ill for 18 months and I think the level of his debilitation meets care criteria above that which he is already receiving.

I am very concerned about a letter that my father received, during the same week of the meeting of 6th June. Actually, my father received a photo copy of the letter, via his care co-ordinator, because the original had been sent to the wrong address. The letter asked him to attend a meeting at Poplars, which, I now understand, is a part of the MH Trust that specialises in the care of older age people. I wonder if Director of Community Teams was aware that this meeting had been organised because at no time during the meeting on 6th July did Director say that plans had been put in place for my father to be assessed by the Older Age MH Team. In fact, based on what was said in that meeting I thought (Director) had agreed to certain actions that the Community Mental Health Team would be involved in. I therefore assumed that it would be the Community Mental Health Team, under the Directorship of (Director) that would be responsible for delivering care services.

My father is very confused by what is going on. He believes the Community Mental Health Team are washing their hands of him. I can only assume there has been a breakdown in communication somewhere as prior to my father telling me he received the photocopied letter about a meeting at Poplars, neither my father or I had been informed that a meeting had been organised with the Older Age Mental Health Team.

My prime concerns are that my father gets the appropriate care to meet his needs and that I don’t have to keep chasing people up to either get that care or find out who is doing what and why. This is something I have commented on, and written about, on different occasions but still there is very little clarity and decisions seem to be made without prior consultation with my father. One part of the MH Trust seems to be saying one thing and another does something different.

Personally, I don’t mind which section of the MH Trust (along with other external organisations with specialities) provides care for my father. I cannot speak on behalf of my father. He seems confused about what is going on. Particularly as his care plan included twice weekly visits from the Support Worker but now he is only seeing her once a week. What worries me is the mixed messages that are being sent and lack of proper communication of what is and isn’t happening in regards to his care.

I would appreciate you forwarding this email to (Director) and to receive a response from him in regards to what he understands to be happening.



As I previously informed you, I will be sending a copy of the notes of the meeting to my MP. He has asked me to keep him updated on progress that is made. At present, I am not sure exactly what is going on or which team will be providing care support in future. However, once this is clear I think it is only fair that (MP) is informed.


Etc-ingly