View Full Version : Rant! Help for mental health is a f.....g joke!!!
My GP surgery doesn't seem to have a clue! I self referred myself to my local mental health support called Health in Mind last Thursday and I've heard NOTHING! Nearly two years ago I felt so bad my GP told me to go to A&E they kept me waiting for nearly five hours sitting in a noisey horrible A&E department and during that time a nurse came and spoke to me like dirt and in front of everybody loudly said your not going to do anything silly are you. IT'S ALL B:ohmy::ohmy::ohmy:OCKS!
I agree wholeheartedly.
Most people are clueless frankly. The only doctor I found remotely helpful was my former GP who diagnosed my depression and anxiety, would not refer me for counselling unless I excepted the meds (I was fuming at the time, but now I am better I see she was totally right) and who took me seriously and immediately referred me to MIND for counselling.
My GP now is a dead loss. An utter joke. I have to see him every 6 weeks for a .....ahem...and I say this whilst rolling on the floor laughing.....'a review of my mental health' before he re-prescribes my meds.
All he does is say 'so how are things'? whilst making no eye contact at all, looking at his bloody PC screen and typing. He can't be arsed to even care exactly how I am, frankly. It is nothing but meaningless protocol, that I know. If i walked in and said 'well actually, I walked through town with my knickers on my head last week', he wouldn't look up from his screen or worry about my mental state.
It is a very sad state of affairs that in 2015, we are still facing this kind of ignorant, mindless treatment (or lack of)....and that it is often from 'health professionals' is shameful.
Try MIND or CALM ( Campaign Against Living Miserably)
A lot does depend on where you live. Yes it is b...ocks.. Postcode Lottery !!!!!!!!!
Try MIND or CALM ( Campaign Against Living Miserably)
A lot does depend on where you live. Yes it is b...ocks.. Postcode Lottery !!!!!!!!!
I agree. I found MIND to be fantastic. Really informative and helpful and my counsellor was a Godsend.
I have to admit I have had excellent care from my GP and mental health team. I cannot fault it at all. Again a postcode lottery I guess.
Thanks for the replies ladies. Yep it seems to be a postcode lottery. Thanks Debs and Jims mrs I will look into mind. Debs I'm glad it's not just my gp surgery that's useless.
MRS STRESS ED
14-01-15, 20:46
BikerMatt I think half the problem is there is not enough funding and understanding about mental health ,its a joke that they should think all people with a mental illness would harm themselves or others ,would the same question be asked to someone who didn't have mental illness ,also its a bloody joke that you have to be at that stage of your illness for them to take you serious .
I have nothing against other illnesses being funded and helped but it seems mental health is at the bottom of the list ,I mean one in four people suffer a mental illness that's a lot of people ,we need to be taken more serious and not made to feel stupid xx
Not good to hear some of these experiences. I have to say I have had fantastic treatment since 2001 when I first became ill; GPs, Psychiatrists, psychologists and the psychiatric hospital I was in nearly 2 years ago..... Wiltshire must be on the ball.
Sarah
Not good to hear some of these experiences. I have to say I have had fantastic treatment since 2001 when I first became ill; GPs, Psychiatrists, psychologists and the psychiatric hospital I was in nearly 2 years ago..... Wiltshire must be on the ball.
Sarah
My gp didn't even suggest CBT until 2 years ago, even then I had to fight for it and do all the donkey work myself. When I started CBT my therapist couldn't understand why it hadn't been sorted many years before and pretty much said it was to late, but we did try 11 sessions though. I've told my gp surgery many times I need more help than I'm getting but I may aswell be talking to a goldfish! I'm not particularly bothered but ten years ago I had my own business, new car, new motorbike a place of my own and it's all gone. SO LIVING IN THE SOUTH SEEMS SHITE FOR HEALTH CARE IT APPEARS SO:mad::mad::mad:
Sunflower2
15-01-15, 21:36
I also have to say I've received very good care. I found out today that the North East of scotland has a loooot of mental health problems and so a lot of resources. My gp has always referred me to the right services, the psychiatric nurse recognised I needed more complex care, and I've been told I will receive ongoing care once I finish with my current psychology. I know a lot of people are less lucky with this, but it does exist and I hope it becomes more widespread in the future.
MyNameIsTerry
15-01-15, 23:31
I think my experience is like Debs.
Regular check ups with my GP was clearly a box ticker for him with the same old questions ("are you taking the medication"? "Do you feel ready to come off them?","need a FIT note?", etc).
He does ask how I feel but what can you achieve in 10 minutes and thats a double appointment!
I gave up going over 18 months ago and have never heard anything. They still issue the repeat prescriptions but I have expected a note in from the GP to the receptionist to ask me to make an appointment which they do to ask to review medication for physical issues but... no, nothing. This just confirmed the appointments mean little to them.
My dentist will send me a reminder as will my optician. My doctor's surgery will contact you if you have a test and they want you to come back down... back to physical issues again I guess.
The therapist service was the complete opposite. They will chase for contact and were really helpful. They sent reports back to my GP who clearly wasn't reading them as he wasn't following up on their suggestions. He never updated my diagnosis to match their thoughts.
The GP system just doesn't work. According to NICE guidelines they are the primary care provider hence take overall responsibility but I really don't see this happening.
Also, the holistic elements seem left with the patients to sort out. My GP never discusses possible health concerns & deficiencies and diet & exercise is limited to 3 decent meals, are you eating healthily and get some exercise but this needs specialist advice, not passing comments.
Its good to hear that some people are looked after better but this lack of consistency just points to an out of date service.
Matt - CBT is a level 2 & 3 service, there is a level 4 for more complex cases but there can be longer delays eg mine is quoted at 12 months but as Kimberley had pointed of before on another thread, cancellations can mean quicker access and severity/risk level is part of their decision on how quick the service is to access.
My gp didn't even suggest CBT until 2 years ago, even then I had to fight for it and do all the donkey work myself. When I started CBT my therapist couldn't understand why it hadn't been sorted many years before and pretty much said it was to late, but we did try 11 sessions though. I've told my gp surgery many times I need more help than I'm getting but I may aswell be talking to a goldfish! I'm not particularly bothered but ten years ago I had my own business, new car, new motorbike a place of my own and it's all gone. SO LIVING IN THE SOUTH SEEMS SHITE FOR HEALTH CARE IT APPEARS SO:mad::mad::mad:
Yes, it must be the case, Matt.
I live in North West London, and this area is also useless. I was very lucky to have my counseling when I did, as I was amongst the final batch of clients to receive free therapy through my local MIND counselling service. It closed afterwards through -surprise, surprise - lack of funding. It was a HUGE loss to the area. We are lucky that the rest of our local MIND's service's are struggling on, but struggling is the word.
This is the 2nd GP I have had as an adult with mental health issues. He only ever chucks meds at me, and has never, ever made any mention or offer of therapy to me, even when I had a 'review' with him last Winter and had relapsed badly with my depression, and that was whilst on medication. I was sitting there crying in front of him, and all he did was suggest it was SAD that was affecting my mood, and leave it at that. :shrug:
MyNameIsTerry
16-01-15, 00:22
That's awful Debs, he sounds far worse than mine. He's clearly not following NICE guidelines and they've been around for ages now! Its like GP's can operate however they want with little monitoring.
The thing is, I've always been happy with my surgery until it came to mental health. I wonder if its the same as the issue with the elderly which there has been plenty of reports questioning their treatment by GP's...they love chucking pills at them!
That's awful Debs, be sounds far worse than mine. He's clearly not following NICE guidelines and they've been around for ages now! Its like GP's can operate however they want with little monitoring.
The thing is, I've always been happy with my surgery until it came to mental health. I wonder if its the same as the issue with the elderly which there has been plenty of reports questioning their treatment by GP's...they love chucking pills at them!
Yep...I truly think that many GP's much prefer to just go - what I would consider to be - the easy route and write a prescription, rather than look beyond that. I don't know what it is with them....too many patients? Burn out and lethargy? Lack of understanding and vision when it comes to mental health? I have no idea.
My GP just has this air of utter disinterest about him. He is a guy in his 60s, and he just seems like he has seen it all and is bored now! Just going through the motions whilst waiting to collect his NHS pension. Even when I ask him questions, I get a one or two word answer. I find it utterly fruitless seeing him, and I honestly come out of the surgery feeling like he thinks I am wasting his time with my 'all in the head' stuff.
I moved up to Scotland from Liverpool 8 yrs ago. My husband is a Scot and has had 4 heart attacks (due to a congenital problem). He also has Asthma. He's had numerous stents put into his heart and every time he's needed to go into hospital, usually a GP referral, they take no chances with him given his history. He's gone to the surgery or the GP has phoned him at home, he's always 'Fast-tracked'
We don't wait for an ambulance, I'll drive him in and the GP always asks if I'm ok to take him as they know I can get quite anxious about driving, especially parking!!!!
Every time we've arrived there, they know he's coming and we've never had to wait as the GP has phoned through.
My care has been excellent as well.
A couple of years ago we were thinking about moving down to Liverpool as the company he works for was opening a new branch down there. He mentioned it to his Cardiologist on his last outpatient visit, he said to be careful which Primary care trust he moved too, because the amount of medication he was on could prove a problem for a new GP. We decided to stay put and wont even move now from the catchment area for our GP.
Rennie1989
17-01-15, 16:41
I give up with it all, I've come to accept the long wait for appointments, constant change in medication and talking to doctors who see problems and not the person. I keep myself busy with hobbies, it has worked better than much else recently.
Yes, it must be the case, Matt.
I live in North West London, and this area is also useless. I was very lucky to have my counseling when I did, as I was amongst the final batch of clients to receive free therapy through my local MIND counselling service. It closed afterwards through -surprise, surprise - lack of funding. It was a HUGE loss to the area. We are lucky that the rest of our local MIND's service's are struggling on, but struggling is the word.
This is the 2nd GP I have had as an adult with mental health issues. He only ever chucks meds at me, and has never, ever made any mention or offer of therapy to me, even when I had a 'review' with him last Winter and had relapsed badly with my depression, and that was whilst on medication. I was sitting there crying in front of him, and all he did was suggest it was SAD that was affecting my mood, and leave it at that. :shrug:
It's just a terrible state of affairs Debs.
I've seen four different gp's at my surgery in the last 18 months. The first one showed no interest whatsoever and point blank said pregabolin wasn't used for anxiety when I asked about them. Last April I started seeing a gp covering maternity leave and was actually very attentive and tried to make changes to my meds but then his cover ended, now I've got stuck taking an SSRI & an SRNI. I then saw my usual gp who had me in and out in a couple of mins and told me to stick with taking the two meds. I then made an appointment with a new young gp as I thought he may be more up to date with things but NOPE he was so insistent I couldn't take both meds together and the way he told me to taper off one from what I've read would be way to fast. Also my regular gp has never ever offered a review in the nine years I've taken meds:ohmy::ohmy::ohmy:
Matt do you have a local rethink.org I used them and they were brilliant for counselling and support.It always amazes me how little GPs know about the meds,how to get on and off them safely etc
MyNameIsTerry
17-01-15, 22:49
Matt, suggest taking the tapering guidelines from the online sources (many are from the local trusts or NHS) with you as some GP's like to bluff their patients...when their oath actually states this to be wrong!
I would also suggest discussing the pregabalin on its board on here because GP's are well known to lie about pregabalin when it comes to anxiety but NICE clearly details it can be used & when. It's about cost and a misconception about substance abuse.
Matt do you have a local rethink.org I used them and they were brilliant for counselling and support.It always amazes me how little GPs know about the meds,how to get on and off them safely etc
Hey Andy didn't see your post:blush: thanks for the pointer, I've looked and it doesn't look like they have any services in my area.
---------- Post added at 19:48 ---------- Previous post was at 19:45 ----------
Matt, suggest taking the tapering guidelines from the online sources (many are from the local trusts or NHS) with you as some GP's like to bluff their patients...when their oath actually states this to be wrong!
I would also suggest discussing the pregabalin on its board on here because GP's are well known to lie about pregabalin when it comes to anxiety but NICE clearly details it can be used & when. It's about cost and a misconception about substance abuse.
Sorry Terry didn't see your post until now. Cheers buddy :D
Radio two were talking about how bad the mental health service is today,it was very interesting to listen to
How you feeling now matt ?
Radio two were talking about how bad the mental health service is today,it was very interesting to listen to
How you feeling now matt ?
Was that on Jeremy Vine? Not great Andy thanks for asking:) how's you?
ladyhawke77
20-01-15, 17:57
i understand what your going through, my doc is totally useless... he thinks in fine well in theory i am.... i can walk and no broken libs ect... but what they dont understand its my mind thats sick and that hard to see when your standing in front of me, he also stopped my meds as e thinks im all better well at least one of us thinks it.. i now self med with calms but dont take them that often
Was that on Jeremy Vine? Not great Andy thanks for asking:) how's you?
Remember this is only a temporary state for you,things will improve
I'm ok except for a nasty dose of man flu :mad:
i understand what your going through, my doc is totally useless... he thinks in fine well in theory i am.... i can walk and no broken libs ect... but what they dont understand its my mind thats sick and that hard to see when your standing in front of me, he also stopped my meds as e thinks im all better well at least one of us thinks it.. i now self med with calms but dont take them that often
It's not good is it, stopping your meds seems harsh. What are you suffering from ladyhawke depression? anxiety?
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