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"Very poor service"

About: Avon And Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

My support worker suggested to me the other day that I ask my doctor "if they can prescribe cannabis". I have not been able to eat or sleep properly for over two years - duty staff member yesterday told me I should go to "a health food shop" for advice. Autism spectrum condition diagnostics were completely botched by BASS. I have tremendous problems with anxiety, noise, groups of people, I have explained this on MANY occasions over the years - I was sent initially to a large group session and had to leave after 30 seconds in total panic. I was subsequently sent to a man at the Wellspring Centre at Barton Hill who told me I was "gifted and should attend a spiritualist church", before telling me that he could not help me. My care over two years has been so badly conducted that it is now being investigated, my MP and Care Quality Commission are monitoring the situation. I would imagine most AWP users have encountered similar social problems to myself, housing etc. - and yet 98% of AWP staff seem completely unaware of how the benefits system, housing, etc. works - if you mention any of these problems, you are told you are "catastrophising" or being "negative". Staff are patronising, condescending, make no allowances for problems you are experiencing, simply look to provide a "one size fits all" service without making any allowances for individuals. I have a long history of adverse reactions to psychiatric medication - guess how doctors responded when I told them this? Give me more inappropriate drugs that have made things many times worse, and in some cases kept me awake all night. At a medication review, a consultant literally refused to discuss medication, and my psychologist made a formal complaint against him, after which he left the service. I have been passed from pillar to post like a piece of meat, nobody takes ownership of my case, it is just an endless battle between GP, consultants, mental health services, everybody telling me there is nothing wrong with me. It has been a process of humiliation, disrespect, contact with AWP just leaves me feeling in total despair. Staff cannot even manage a smile when I see them, seem unable even to manage a bit of good old-fashioned kindness and compassion and when somebody is on their knees. Just unhelpful, ignorant and ill-informed advice, I genuinely do question what motivates these people to work in mental health in the first place. No attention is paid to individuals, case management across functions is beyond appalling, it is just a pro-forma read off a sheet approach that achieves absolutely NOTHING, does not take into account any of a person's life experiences, essentially things like CBT seem like an attempt to brainwash people into thinking everything is OK, without doing ANYTHING to help solve any of the practical problems that caused patients to arrive in the situation in the first place. The whole process has been an insult, a process of humiliation, hope I never have to contact AWP again.

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Responses

Response from Avon And Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 7 years ago
Avon And Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Submitted on 30/01/2017 at 11:52
Published on nhs.uk on 31/01/2017 at 01:41


Thank you for your comment. We are very sorry that you felt your experience was not satisfactory or agreeable. We would welcome to opportunity to meet and discuss your concerns if you would find this helpful. Please contact the PALS team in the first instance on 01249 468261 or 0800 0731778 or by email at awp.pals@nhs.net and they will make the arrangements for you.

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