"Limited"

Been on anti-depressants for 6 years, finally plucked up the courage to do something about it last year. The time from initially discussing my mental health with my GP to sitting down with a CBT therapist was in excess of 10 months. During which time I had repeated telephone assessments at each of which I emphasised that my working hours were not very flexible and I needed afternoon appointments, despite this they kept offering me morning appointments, and in did had an initial face to face consultation in the evening, after which I got a phonecall to say that that slot was not going to be available in future and I was being put back on the waiting list, at which point I specifically said "do not call me again with morning appointments". All this for 6 45 minute sessions, at the end of which, and this is my main gripe, I asked "so what now?" to which my therapist said "Well, nothing, you're discharged"

"What, no follow up consultation to see how I'm doing and if the treatment is working in 6 months time or suchlike"

"No we don't offer any follow up services"

"So if my mental health continues to deteriorate after I leave here, can I access this service again?"

"No we cant afford to keep open cases, its case closed now"

So essentially your discharged at the end of a pre-determined (by budget I suspect) time period regardless of whether your state of mind has actually improved. There is no monitoring or review process, you're not kept "on the radar" so to speak, just a case of "that's your lot, you're on your own now, all the best"

If you went to a physio-therapist with chronic back pain, and at the end of 6 sessions you were still in agony, you wouldn't just be sent on your way regardless, alternatives would be investigated, you'd receive treatment until there was improvement, mental health services should be no different.

The little service you do receive is actually quite good, my therapist really knew their stuff and whilst I was receiving therapy it helped. However, the service is so restricted in scope that its potential to be of long term benefit is limited to say the least.