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Care Opinion

More support is needed

Posted By Daies35

"More support is needed"

About: Antrim/Ballymena / Diabetes Specialist Nurse

(as a service user),

I am a young female with type 1 diabetes, recently I have went through a difficult time in my life resulting in me considering using my insulin to harm myself instead of its purpose to keep me alive. This was a very scary thought that the drug that keeps me alive could very easy end my life if I wanted and the power was in my hands.

I asked for help in regards to talking someone to someone from clinical health psychology as they were brilliant when I first received my diagnoses.

However I was told they couldn't help as it was a mental health issue so I was referred to a counselor in my GP surgery who was great but at teaching me about my anxiety and how to deal with it but not able to address the fact that I could end my life with this drug if I wanted as I needed to speak to someone who deals with long life illness as it is a more specialized field and I completely understood this.

So I again asked my consultant could I be referred to which they agreed and sent off a referral but it took them a month to send it off. 

I then finally got a letter in to say that sadly there is a wait time of 104 weeks! Seriously, 2 years to be seen if this doesn't show that the health service needs help I don't know what does.

These people need more support be it in more staff, more money, a plan rolled out to help support other staff. But a 2 year wait list to talk about how this issue is not good enough for anyone, luckily I am now taking medication that helps me feel better but what about when I want to come off it I worry these thoughts will come back. 

This is not a complaint against the service this is a cry for help to get them more support as I would hate the thought of someone else who may not be brave enough to ask for help.

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Responses

Response from Dr Rebecca Houghton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Clinical Lead, Clinical Health Psychology Services, NHSCT 3 weeks ago
Dr Rebecca Houghton
Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Clinical Lead, Clinical Health Psychology Services,
NHSCT

Submitted on 22/05/2024 at 11:38
Published on Care Opinion at 11:38

Dear Daies35,

My name is Dr Rebecca Houghton and I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Section for the Clinical Health Psychology Service. Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience of trying to access our Service. I am sorry to hear that you have been through a difficult time recently and that access to our Service has been problematic. I would also like to apologise for the long waiting times that our Service currently has. If it would feel helpful you to, I would be more than happy to speak with you directly about this situation and I can be contacted on 028 9441 3127. Alternatively, you may want to contact Dr Richard Whitehouse (Head of Psychological Services) on 028 2563 5211.

Kind Regards,

Rebecca

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Response from Natalie McLaughlin, Clinical Services Manager, Renal & Endo-Diabetes, Ward B2, Ward C5 and Renal Unit., Northern Health and Social Care Trust 3 weeks ago
Natalie McLaughlin
Clinical Services Manager, Renal & Endo-Diabetes, Ward B2, Ward C5 and Renal Unit.,
Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 22/05/2024 at 13:10
Published on Care Opinion at 13:10

Daies35

My name is Natalie McLaughlin, Clinical Services Manager for Diabetes Service, NHSCT.

Firstly thank you for taking the time to post your experience and feedback through care opinion.

It is regrettable to learn that you have been going through a difficult period, and I am sorry to hear that albeit you have had some help from psychology, that recently you have not been given the timely support you require.

Unfortunately, current waiting lists in health and social care are at an all time high, but we are hopeful that investment from the DOH will start to address these. As a diabetes service we do continue to review our current waiting lists with the aim to improve these. However, there is a increase in the local population of people living with diabetes, and therefore it is important there is adequate investment to meets the needs of service users.

Again I thank you for highlighting your own concerns, and raising these on behalf of other patients in similar circumstances.

If there is anything else we can do to help, or if you wish to speak to someone re your diabetes please email natalie.mclaughlin@northerntrust.hscni.net

Best wishes

Natalie McLaughlin

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