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Care Opinion

Lack of MH support

Posted By Sim11

"Lack of MH support"

About: Crisis Mental Health / Adult home treatment teams (North and South) Crisis Mental Health / Single point of access team (SPA) & Emotional Wellbeing Service (EWS)

(as a friend),

My best friend has been suffering a relapse in their mental health since the end of February and was subsequently referred to the Single Point of Access/CRHT by their GP. Unfortunately at this point, no intervention was offered and my friend really struggled and still struggles to talk on the phone, as is the case with severe Anxiety and Depression-this resulted in my freind's  mental state deteriorating further and feeling like no hope was available. They then tried to take their own life and was subsequently assessed by the Liaison Team in hospital 2 days after my friend was told they would be. My friend was sent home with support from the Home Treatment Team who visited 3 times before discharge. 

After much consideration by my friend and her family, they came to stay with me for a week so I could support them due to huge concerns for their own safety. Both my friend's partner and I had consent from my friend for the team to speak to us if they failed to make contact, this was rarely followed up. Following discharge no further follow up was offered despite the suggesting of a referral to IAPT. As a result of this my friend has continued to suffer badly with their mental health. 

The support from the GP has been fantastic and further referrals have been made to the Single Point of Access team; with one phone call from the team asking her “what do you want us to do”. You are the experts in this area, my friend is vulnerable and unsure of what the best way forward is; their main concern at the moment being the overwhelming voices that they are experiencing causing an evermore increase of Anxiety and Panic Attacks, resulting in even more ongoing concerns about personal safety. My friend has been referred to the team again who have tried to contact once and no further. We all understand resources are stretched in the NHS. However this is somebody who is crying out for help and feels failed by Mental Health Services, resulting in them not trusting the service. Both myself and my friend's partner are of course happy to support them, however just because we do this, it does not mean they deserves any less from services. 

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Responses

Response from Imelda Murphy, Clinical Nurse Manager, Home Treatment, SHSC 4 years ago
Imelda Murphy
Clinical Nurse Manager, Home Treatment,
SHSC

Submitted on 18/06/2019 at 21:36
Published on Care Opinion on 19/06/2019 at 10:41

hello,


May I first begin by saying how sorry I am that you, your family and fundamentally your friend has felt that the Home Treatment Team has not provided a positive experience. I fully understand just how difficult it is to be supporting someone with mental health problems and navigating through our system can at times appear very confusing. I am unable to comment on the other services other than the Home Treatment Team. As I don't have the personal details of this situation, again I am unable to comment on the actual case and the rational behind the decisions made by the HTT.

I would like to explain that the HTT is a short term team and it is not unusual for people to be discharged after only a few visits. As part of care we do ask about people involved in care and if the service user would allow us to make contact with carers in order to provide support and share information. At the point of planning discharge we do explain the onward care plan from the team. If on going secondary mental health care was required then the team would make the referral. People are discharged back to the GP who will get a discharge summary stating the on going community plan. This should also have been sent to the service user as routine. If the plan is for IAPT follow up, then we are unable to refer them as IAPT is a self referral team.


I hope that you and your friend are able to find the appropriate care in order to meet their care needs. If the HTT are involved again, please can you contact the team, in order to raise your concerns about previous care, so that we can be clear with all involved about the care and treatment that the HTT can provide in order to ensure that everyone's care experience is much more positive. We do always give our contact details to service users on the day we see them so they would have our contact details. We strive as a team to be able to support everyone appropriately and timely and we do take concerns raised seriously.

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Response from Andrew Parr, Nurse Senior Practitioner, Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust 4 years ago
Andrew Parr
Nurse Senior Practitioner,
Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 26/06/2019 at 15:24
Published on Care Opinion on 27/06/2019 at 09:18

I am very sorry to hear about your friends experience when attempting to engage with the Single Point of Access Team. As I don't have any further details about your friends experience it is difficult to comment on the case. It would be useful however if your friend or yourself (with your friends permission) contact the leadership team at the Single Point of Access to discuss your concerns in more depth. This would help us in addressing the concerns and hopefully responding more satisfactory manner.

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