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HAS ANYONE IN BRITAIN HAD PROBLEMS WITH THERE MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER?

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russell08948
russell08948

Hi I have been under my local mental health out patients for the last 15 years and have experienced alot of problems ranging from refusing to provide care when I have been in crisis,writing false statements in my medical records and telling other health professionals things which simply are not correct just to name a few.I would be interested if anyone else has had simular problems.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • ursulauc62
    ursulauc62 russell08948

    Posted

    Hello,

    yes I have had things written about me that I didnt agree with. Whenever I have a meeting with a psychiatrist I am sent a copy of their record of the meeting, and I usually find some of the comments to be inaccurate and just down right patronising. I can of course challenge this, and I have done on occasion. At least they do actually send me a copy of the letter to my GP. There has even been the odd typo error such as for example - 'she went to some gay meetings', which should have read, 'to some AA meetings', which really puts a completely different interpretation on it.   Just goes to show the laziness of the doctors who dictate their letters, which are recorded, then typed up by secretaries, and apparently not even properly checked over before they are sent out.

    I have practically given up taking them seriously.  I know how the process works, and am familiar with the language they use to describe patients - they always have to throw in a few 'medical terms' which actually mean something very straightforward.   I dont really trust psychiatrists although I find them interesting - the other mental health workers who work with pateints on a day to day basis are much more considerate and helpful.

    • russell08948
      russell08948 ursulauc62

      Posted

      thank you for your reply as I  am finding it really difficult to find anyone to speak out against there mental health provider.My experiences are very simular to yours .when I was in crisis about a year ago I was trying to get medication and the psychiatrist I was under at the time accused me of having an addiction/ dependancy problem with this particular medication which is utter nonsense .I am still fighting now to get my records ammended at least I am seeing a psychiatrist which is helping me now.russell
    • ursulauc62
      ursulauc62 russell08948

      Posted

      I have given up on getting my records amended. In fact last time I saw my psychiatrist and then read their record of the meeting, it became very obvious that they now have a definition of whats wrong with me, and are sticking to that because it suits them. They like to have labels for people, and also seem to prefer to beleive I still have a significant problem - but I dont.  They have labelled me an alcoholic, even though I havent drank for months and have never needed alcohol on a daily basis, and I know plenty of people who do.

      I went to the last meeting mainly just out of curiosity, but I'm pretty fed up with them now.  And yes, it does seem that the more in crisis you are, the less you are helped.  I was badly in crisis nearly a year ago as well, and overdosed a number of times, and also used alcohol at the time, and was only admitted to a secure unit after swearing that if I was let out of hospital I would just immediately overdose again.

      Psychiatry is a very hit and miss discipline unless you have a very obvious disorder caused by significant chemical imbalances, such as bipolar or schizoprenia. Otherwise alot of it is just guessing.

    • russell08948
      russell08948 ursulauc62

      Posted

      see that is why I have issues with them because if I had a pysical illness they would not get away with how they behave towards me .If I had a brocken leg  and I was swearing at them they would make an allowance because I was in pysical pain but if the pain is pyscological you are not allowed to express your distress that is in my book discrimination.
  • jesgilm
    jesgilm russell08948

    Posted

    I've been in hospital for overdose 5 times.

    After the 4th I had an emergency admission which took around 4 weeks (I was already under a psychiatrist so an emergency appointment to be admitted for therapy again shouldn't have taken that long). Eventually when I saw a lady for possible therapy after letting everything out, telling her everything and thinking for the first time I had actually got somewhere, she turned round to me and said its upto me and that she couldn't offer any therapy. She basically told me they weren't willing to help me get on track.

    • russell08948
      russell08948 jesgilm

      Posted

      I am hearing more people in the same situation as you I hate the fact that we have to fight for treatment if we had physical illness's we wouldn't.maybe ask your Gp to refer you to community mental health team?or re -refer if you have already been refered.
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