Temporary psychiatrists-does your CMHT do this?
 

I am sick to death of the psych consultants at my CMHT being 'temporary' or short term contracts. I seem to have a new psych every year.

I don't like it because there isn't much consistancy. The psych I have currently (who is leaving) is really specialised in Bipolar and treatment and I've got on really well with the treatment and now I'm worried that the next psych will be like "this isn't the right treatment" and messes with it- My current psych pretty much did that aswell but gave me better treatment. Or adds another diagnosis to the mix because thats there speciality.

I actually want to complain now and wondered, how common it is? Do all CMHT do this?

Oh I figured it was normal. If it changes and you don't like them, change again.
The guy I'm seeing right now is useless, but I'm hoping it'll change again soon enough.

I had the same frustration with my old cmht, all the psychs i saw were locum and on 6 month placements. I got a different diagnosis with every psych and constant med change. I complained to my cpn that i wanted to see a psych that was permanent at the team, my request was granted and i saw said psych, then he went off sick so was back to locums again.

If your treatment is working tell the next psych this and say that you dont want to change, do you have a care coordinater and if you do can you voice your concerns to them and have it put in your care plan?

Can you not see a registrar on the team rather than the lead consultant, one who has been there a while and is likely to stay. Here there is a counsultant [who I have incidentally never seen, or any other dr] but there are some drs who work below her.

Continuity of care is a big issue, and I would try and have it incorporated into your care plan that you see the same person for overall treatment concerns. If once it has been added to your care plan there is no improvement, complain.

I dont know about cmht but camhs did and that really annoyed me! First when I went 'my' psych was on holiday so i was assessed by another psych then when my psych came back i was assessed by 'my' psych. So two assessements in the space of about a month. Then when I was in hospital he 'couldn't' see or assess me as he was 'leaving in 2 weeks' So i was assessed by crisis who then gave me a cpn in camhs and what really bugged me was on my discharge sheet from the ward it said i had been referred to camhs when I was already with them!

Is it possible to ask for your next psych to be permanent? Consistency is important and im sure your new psych wont touch the treatment if it's working!

My psych atm is really good and I have had him for 13 months so far. X

Happens far too often x

I agree with you

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I used to see the locum but now see the consultant with my care coordinator as I don't see him on a regular basis and I think my care coordinator would know that I would refuse to see a stranger when I often refuse to see Dr J!!

That said locums are an important part of a cmht as it would be impossible for every patient to see a consultant. I don't really know what can be done but it is definately worth talking to the Dr about it and seeing what if anything they can do. If your treatment is working tell the new Dr this.

I used to have a consultant but only saw him twice then saw all the locums but as he was just next door they would usually pop in and check with him if they made any changes to my care plan. Then I got moved to another psych who I saw once then another then I moved out of area. Now I would see the same one every time which is better although not sure if I like him yet.

Used to happen all the time when I was with a different CMHT and the time they stayed was more like a few months. I'd meet with each one maybe once or twice before they'd move on.

It was made more awkward by the fact they always named the consultant my care co-ordinator and they'd often not inform me that the old one had left or the new one often wouldn't contact me to say they'd taken up my case - I wouldn't think it was suitable for consultants to be made care coordinators because of their work loads. At one point during my illest period I disappeared from the mental health service for 6 months before anyone realised.

Thankfully I've had more sucess since I moved to a new area with a new CMHT, seems people stay around longer here.