"Thank you to the mental Health practitioners at Devon Doctors"

For some time now I have needed support when I am distressed, mainly to stop me from self harming. Out of hours this can be a problem because the options are very limited. If I need to speak to someone usually the only people available are the crisis resolution team. However I have not found the CRT very helpful, they have often told me that I am not the sort of patient they are set up to deal with and indeed I have twice ended up in A&E after talking to them because of their lack of engagement with me, lack of respect and general unwillingness to lsiten or give me time has made things worse not better.

For the past year or so I have been receiving support from the mental health practitioners attached to the local GP out of hours service, Devon Doctors.

Until recently there have just been three individuals who provide the service and this has allowed me to get to know and trust them and for them to get to know something about me and how best to help me. They have been brilliant. They have time to listen, they show you respect and treat you as an individual. One of the things I had found very hard with the crt ,and I may say many of the Mental health folk I have been in contact with is that they do not really understand physical illness. I suffer from multiple chronic physical health conditions and this is the main reason I struggle. The Devon Docs "three" have made efforts to understand about my conditions and the effect they have on me. As another patient has remarked "they actually behave as though they give a damn"

I want to say a big thank you to them for all their support, and I hope that the service will be expanded to cover weekeday evenings and perhaps nights as well. Currently they only cover weekends and BHs. The service is just what is needed to bridge the gap between the GPs who really do not have the time to give and the crt who don't help me when I call.

I should add that the call handlers at Devon Docs are mostly brillaint as well: calm,caring,and reassuring, so thank you to them.