"Extremely damaging service in my experience"

Received extremely poor care for OCD. 

-Address erroneously altered without anyone noticing - still uncorrected 3 months later. Letters and CPN sent to my neighbour!

-Obstructive attitude and behaviours when trying to receive explanation of clinical care I received.

-Ignorance of several verbal complaints re. address error.

Having been previously diagnosed a number of years ago, my OCD got significantly worse in December 2021, to the point I could not (and largely still cannot) function. Spending entire days in shower in a highly distressed state, unable to eat, drink and terrified to use toilet in my own home, I consistently felt (and still do) that it was impossible to live anymore. 

Combined with getting very little sleep and being extremely isolated due to contamination fears, my life had completely crumbled and I was not in a good place at all. 

With help from family, we went to the GP, who referred me to Rossdale. Given the state I was in, both physically (I was exhausted and could barely use my hands anymore due to my skin being so damaged) and mentally, the GP made an urgent referral to Rossdale.

Given my previous diagnosis and the severity of condition, we were told, as NICE guidelines advise, that I would be seen relatively quickly.

Unfortunately, despite my deteriorating condition and several calls to the crisis service, it was 5 months before I got an appointment with psychologist. Despite the extremely long wait  (which is not helpful with a condition like OCD which is well understood to spiral if left untreated), we had some hope when the psychology appointment finally came through. We were very clearly mistaken! 

Having received, in my opinion and experience, care which has been extremely poor on a number of fronts, and now having been left (largely in same state as I was  previously) with no care or information on any possible next steps, we began the process of making a formal complaint regarding multiple failings in the care I received.

As part of this, we requested several times to various senior clinical staff members, access to view my records and have someone explain the clinical rationale for decisions made and the care I received. Whilst we have managed to arrange a time for me to view my records, I have now been informed that in order to receive an explanation of the clinical rationale, I will need to raise a formal complaint. 

This does not make any logical sense, other than to be needlessly and deliberately obstructive, in my view - I have requested the information to assist and inform my complaint!

To make things even worse, when speaking to a senior member of the admin team and making clear (on several occasions) that I am making a formal complaint (separate to the other clinical issues) regarding my address being erroneously updated and this not being noticed or corrected (despite 2 members of clinical staff being aware of this error for 3 months), I have been told (contrary to NHS GG&C published policy) that I cannot make a complaint to the service verbally. Not only is this against policy, I believe it is highly discriminatory and leaves patients like myself, for whom such a requirement presents a significant barrier, in an impossible position in this regard. 

To have a been treated this way and have a need to raise a formal complaint regarding a service which is supposed to provide care and support to patients like me who are already in a vulnerable state and struggling enough with life, is extremely sad and concerning in the first place.

However, to be presented with such significant barriers to the very reasonable request of receiving an explanation of the care I have received and being enabled to raise a complaints, in our opinion, reflects a failure to properly fulfill your duty. 

We therefore request arrangements be made as soon as possible for someone to explain the clinical rationale behind my care (or lack thereof), and for the verbal complaint (made several times) to be taken forward.

It is extremely disappointing to be in this position at a time which is already very difficult. The actions (or lack of) of the whole service has served to significantly exacerbate my condition (which you have been made aware of several times) and has been a truly shocking experience in the eyes of both myself and those I am consulting with.

We would like this resolved sooner rather than later!