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