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Lack of mental health support

Posted By Rosie1234

"Lack of mental health support"

About: NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service) Royal Cornhill Hospital / Adult mental health

(as a service user),

My friend text me to tell me they were going to kill themselves as they were not getting any help that was previously offered. I tried phoning Cornhill to ask for help, and was told there was no one to take my call and I should phone nhs 24, I waited 20 minutes for that call to be answered, it never was as I ended up hanging up and phoning the police. 

Where is the mental health support?? 

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Responses

Response from Colette Cowie, Interim Lead Nurse, Adult Mental Health, NHS Grampian 3 years ago
Colette Cowie
Interim Lead Nurse, Adult Mental Health,
NHS Grampian

Submitted on 23/03/2021 at 13:05
Published on Care Opinion at 16:31

I am sorry to read you have been left waiting trying to get support for your friend. Please encourage your friend to speak to their own GP in the first instance, the GP can assess the need for an appointment at RCH.

Other sources of support are Breathing Space on 0800 838587 after 6pm in the evenings and weekends or Samaritans on 116123

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Response from Shona Lawrence, Clinical Governance Lead, Nursing and Care, NHS 24 3 years ago
Shona Lawrence
Clinical Governance Lead, Nursing and Care,
NHS 24

Submitted on 23/03/2021 at 14:47
Published on Care Opinion at 14:47

picture of Shona Lawrence

Dear Rosie1234

I am sorry to learn of the situation your friend found themselves in. I can only imagine how worrying it must have been for you to receive such a text message. I hope your friend is doing much better.

I am also sorry your call to NHS 24 wasn't answered, despite waiting 20 minutes. I appreciate this would have been hugely frustrating and would have caused added anxiety at an already stressful time. Please be assured this is not the sort of experience we wish for patients and callers.

Unfortunately, due to the call demand on our service at this time, there are occasions when calls are taking longer than normal to answer. We are working hard to try to ensure callers don't have an extended wait.

Once again I apologise for your experience in accessing NHS 24 when your friend needed assistance. I do hope your experience on this occasion has not put you off calling 111 again. As well as our dedicated Mental Health Hub, we also provide the Breathing Space Service, which is a confidential listening service. Breathing Space can be contacted on 0800 83 85 87 and their Advisors are available 6pm-2am Mon – Thurs and 6pm-8am Fri – Mon. Calls to Breathing Space are free.

I do hope that local Mental Health services are able to assist in offering support to your friend at this time.

If you wish to contact me with any additional detail, then I would be pleased to hear from you. You can get met at Patient.Experience@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk

With best wishes to you both

Shona

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