"Issues gaining support"

On several occasions today I have attempted to contact Warrington assessment and home treatment team regarding a friend. On each occasion I have been greeted with recorded message telling me the opening hours. I assume this means they are all currently busy. At one stage I rang hollins park switchboard to ask if the could put me through, however switchboard just rang out.

As someone ringing on someone behalf, I find this discouraging and off putting being greeted by a message which offers no option to leave message for someone contact you. This made me think if it had been my friend ringing, as someone who finds it very hard reach out in first place imagine how they would of felt. It made me wonder how many other vulnerable people are going without support due to having issues getting through.

In my opinion this has become a massive issue since the merger of assessment team and home treatment in Warrington. The same happened a few months ago when trying to get through for my friend, on which occasion switchboard told me they had experienced similar issues since home treatment had moved over to assessment.

I think this issue really needs looking into as matter of priority. What is the point in pre recorded message telling you opening hours are 8-8. Surely it would be more logical to use this message when lines are closed as oppose to during opening hours. I have to say from where I am standing the merge of assessment and home treatment has caused issues which the service has not dealt with or is unequipped to do so. I think that being unable to be through can and will have massive implications. I was frustrated being unable to access support for a friend, so vulnerable people in bad place how are they going to feel? The trust needs to be held accountable for people being unable to access the support needed at the right time. People's mental health can't just be put on hold. The amount of effort it takes someone who is in a bad place to reach out or be susceptible to help, to find out that support isn't available. I never realised how hard it would be trying to access a service when needed.