Ridiculous situation - Crisis team and CMHT

HildaOgden · 01-08-2012, 08:53 AM

I phoned crisis at 8.07am because I was, surprise, surprise, in crisis.
Got told that there was no one there to help me and to have a cup of tea and sit down and sit tight until 8.30am when the CMHT would open.
So I sat tight and phoned CMHT at 8.30am.
It doesn't open until 9am.

Bloody fantastic.

Thank God for the Samaritans is all I can say, not that they were loads of help but they at least listened to be me blubbering down the phone for a bit.

Is it just my locality that is this crap. Or are all localities the same???

talaiporia · 01-08-2012, 09:07 AM

I don't know where you are...
BUT I do find that counties outside London are a bit rubbish (or maybe just the ones I've noticed). Where I am now (my parent's for the summer) there is barely any NHS apart from life-saving stuff and GPs; my mum had a serious brain injury and recieves next to no NHS help aside from a sick note from the GP every 3 months and a Neuro consulant a few times a year. All her rehab (ie. physio, etc.) was done by a charity.

It's not just MH that's not getting funding.

I (usually) live in Central London, and from my experience they've been pretty good. My only real complaint is that quite a few of my doctors/psychs/etc. routinely don't read my notes, which means I can bluff my way though things I shouldn't...

But yes. If you live in a city, chances are your services are okay. Else, as far as I've seen (and yes, I know it's a sweeping generalisation) you're fairly screwed.

I'm glad Samaritans helped though. It's great that they listened; sometimes that's what you need, someone just to listen, even if you're not saying anything.

How are you feeling now? It's probably worth mentioning to the CMHT how rubbish the crisis team were, because at the very least someone from your team will probably have a moan at someone from the crisis team, and maybe they will be more helpful next time.

Poppet6 · 01-08-2012, 09:46 AM

Same here, I went to A&E the other night saying I felt I couldnt keep myself safe and the doctor said 'why didnt you ring the crisis team?' I said because whenever I phone them they just tell me to have a bath or read a book which really isnt going to help so I thought I would here to keep myself safe, the doctor came back and said 'I've rang the crisis team and they are happy for you to be discharged, they said get yourself to bed and if you still feel bad in the morning ring your CPN'. Extremely helpful!

HildaOgden · 01-08-2012, 01:43 PM

I live in a large town just outside of Manchester so services are so so.
I did phone the crisis team last night around midnight and both times the answerphone was on. they leave you a number you can call and a bleep number, but I never feel justified enough to do that in case they are with someone who is really ill.

This morning has been tough.
I went to see an emergency doc and he suggested speaking to the Sams again, which I have done and again it helped a bit.
I sat in a coffee shop in my local village crying my eyes out and one of my friends drove over and sat with me and held my hand and brought me home.
I actually considered ending it all because i really thought I couldn't cope anymore.
I will try and phone my temp cpn in a bit.
It's a bit difficult because I've got a cleaner in my house at the moment and I don't have anywhere private I can talk. I don't know the cleaner she's come for the first time. The CMHT organised it because my house is such a state. Atleast the CMHT is useful for something!

Thing is. I don't think this cpn will suggest anything different. I've done all my distractions.
Humph.

Poppet6 · 01-08-2012, 02:04 PM

Please try and talk to your friend xxx

Tig · 01-08-2012, 05:53 PM

Hey lovely,

I'm sorry things have been so bad today. My crisis team finish at midnight then there is a gap until 9am so it's a bit of a nightmare!

Well done for going to see the GP and speaking with the samaritans again. They may feel small steps but I think it takes a lot of courage to keep making the effort to do these things. I'm also glad your friend came to see you in town when you were so upset, that must have been awful for you.

I hope this afternoon has been a little better.

Big hugs,
xxx

HildaOgden · 03-08-2012, 05:42 AM

think I've got The Sams on speed dial I've phoned them that often lol.

Lottie that's terrible that your crisis team is shut between midnight and 9am.

I phoned my crisis team two nights ago and they said they would let my cpn know i had phoned and was struggling. What is supposed to happen is the cpn is then supposed to phone the next morning to check that all is ok. My cpn never called. I gave her until 3pm to call and then I phoned the cmht, she was in a meeting. i missed her return call at nearly 5pm where she said on my answer phone she was sorry she'd not been in contact but she'd been in back to back visits and meetings. great. Thank God for the Sams.