NHS referral waiting times!!

Please understand that the weight on the NHS at present is causing cracks. Staff are working SO hard and really will be trying. This is what the cuts have meant.

I hear your pain Sam and I am in no way saying that this is acceptable, ut i would suggest that you just try to clear your head and begin again. Call the doctors again tomorrow to check that they have sent the referral and call the MH team to check that they have receieved it. Explian again what happened with the missing referral and state that you are in crisis and need to be seen asap. Do all this nicely. The staff WANT to help.

I wish you luck.

Whether the NHS is under funded or over-worked or not is no excuse for downright incompetence, which appears to be happening more and more today.

An 80 year old friend of mine has had an urgent eye operation cancelled three times without giving him any explanation for the cancellation.

It is disgusting and totally unacceptable behaviour.

Thanks for the replies. I fully understand how under pressure the NHS are and how difficult it probably is, just like in every job in this day and age. However as archemedes say's it is not an excuse to let people down and not get them the help they need. I mean how on earth do you lose a referral!? it is ridiculous. Especially being mentally ill, you need help asap but instead im made to wait almost 2 months, i find this unacceptable.

I'm agreeing with you sam, but you either want to solve it (in which case do what I first suggested) or make a compliant to the NHS. 

I hope you get seen quickly.

Sam truly truly feel for you.

What you need is a prompt accurate diagnosis and timely regular consistent meaningful support, follow up and close monitoring.

However, in my humble experiences are not uncommon.

Often the cash strapped ...over burdened NHS only properly reacts in the worst cases of poor mental health (I.e. self harm, schizophrenic dangerous behaviour etc).

This is where being wealthy is a Godsend as one can get immediate access to the care they need.

STILL you must remain positive. Try and identify an advocate who can help you (close friend/family member). Chat on here with fellow sufferers of poor mental health ...keep a record of every event, such as telephone calls date, time, who you spoke to and what action was agreed.

If YOU feel the need ...seek medical attention immediately.

Sorry could better advice ...my thoughts are with you.

Take care Sam

Hi Sam, it happens in the United States as well. Getting help for mental health is a joke! What I've learned is to be persistent and do the follow up for them. If they say they will send a referral over in an hour, call the office that is suppose to receive it in an hour and ten minutes later. If they didn't get it, call the office that was suppose to send it and politely ask them when will the referral be sent. I've been there and I've learned that I have to follow up on tasks from my doctors office and have to be polite or I get no where. Good luck!

I am sorry you guys have had such bad experiences.  I live in Australia and the psychologist was ringing me the next day after the referral was sent for me to come in.  I kind of didn't want to see them but they kept ringing me every week until I agreed to come in.  Honestly I was kind of blown away by the efficiency of our mental health system but also wondering what the Doctor wrote on the referral.

Thanks for your replies. I called my GP to confirm that the referral was sent off again under urgent and they said yes. So let's hope I hear from them within the 5 days in which they promised to get me an appointment by. I am not holding out much hope.

Wow SkyeBeth im so glad you get help that fast, I just wish it was like that in the UK. It is the scariest thing in the world, confiding in someone about your mental health issues and im still so anxious about seeing a psychologist. But it does help and that is why im so keen to see someone ASAP as i can just feel myself going downhill.

Thanks for all of your support