Back To Square One

[littlebutterflygb]

Early last year I completed my 26 sessions with the Psychologist for anxiety/depression/agoraphobia, which I had waited 2 years to see. Even though sessions were 6 mins away in the car, it was still a struggle to get there and I managed most of the sessions, but Hubby used up all his annual leave to get me there.

The Psychologist advised waiting at least 6 months before starting new sessions (as he recommended) and so I reapplied via my GP in Oct last year.

I didnt hear anything until late Nov when a letter arrived advising me to attend an Assessment Interview at a hospital in the next Town over from us- well that was impossible. So Hubby rang and they promised to call back, but never did.

I asked again at my GP. Eventually a letter arrived (to her, not me!) saying that ALL mental health services had been relocated to the next Town over (some 8 miles). So instead I was handed a leaflet by my GP for 'talking therapies' which is exactly where I began and where it was already decided that I needed help beyond their scope.

I have to say that in the 30 years Ive suffered agoraphobia, I have met this problem over and over again - regardless of which Party is in power. If I want treatment, I have to travel far - but if I coukd travel far, I wouldnt need the treatment, would I?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Can you travel extra miles if you worked up to via a series of steps over time do you could get to the other town? The NHS allow for patient choice of service provider now so we don't have to accept the local one anymore so you might be able to access that service again, it might be worth asking.

I sympathise on the travel problem. It's always struck me as ridiculous that they force those suffering with Agoraphobia to travel to their offices for therapy. It's like they can't understand the problem at all. They wouldn't tell someone on crutches to walk a distance to them.

[littlebutterflygb]

Its taken me 20 years to travel 3 miles (in car with Husband) so given another 20 years, perhaps Id make it

Thanks for info about choice of service provider as no-one has mentioned that - Ive never heard of it and will ask!