Care in the community Part One
And so my faith in Mental Health Services reaches zero.
After being passed from pillar to post for the last 5 years, seeing umpteen 'health professionals', I am finally brought to my knees by a system that is a shambles.
Last March (10 months ago) I suffered a depressive episode, which resulted in the proposal of a care plan to back my partner and myself up in our daily battle to cope with my bipolar disorder. It would contain vital information about my illness,Mental Health Team, GP, carers, next of kin and medication, in case of emergency; it would contain telephone numbers and names of people we could contact for support; it would be held together by a 6 month plan co-ordinated by a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN). I didn't click with my CPN for various reasons, so after 3 meetings requested my psychiatrist pass my care plan onto someone else to co-ordinate (it was now May and my care plan was still incomplete). No problem, I was told, we'll take care of it.
December 2007. Two weeks before Christmas, a time that is stressful for anyone, in a season when I usually hit my biggest lows. Still no care plan co-ordinator, despite requesting the matter be dealt with at every 6 weekly appointment with my psychiatrist. Don't worry, she says, I'll assign your care to your current Social Worker, to which I am relieved, as I get on well with her and trust her.
I'm still being hounded by my old CPN to 'catch up' and 'do our 6 monthly review', and so embarassingly have to explain to him that I'd requested stop seeing him in May. The poor guy didn't have a clue, He hadn't been informed. I'm left wondering if anyone knows what is going on???
Friday 18th January, 2008. 5 p.m. I receive a call from 'Steve', my new care co-ordinator.... Who? Well, he's in charge of my care now, so he says and wants to meet up to 'touch base'. He's never heard of my social worker. He doesn't have the password to access my files on the computer system. I'm not sure he knows I'm bipolar, what medication I'm on, or anything at all about me. When I explain that I'm totally dis-satisfied with the 'care' I'm receiving and give him details of my whole care-plan fiasco, he gives me the option of discharging myself from mental health services. I advise him to speak to my psychiatrist before taking any further action as he doesn't know my 'case', although I also advise him that I am losing more and more faith in the system and now don't really trust anyone, not even my psychiatrist. He says he's 'hearing me' and will raise all of these concerns at a meeting between all staff at my Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) on Monday, and call me to 'take things forward'.
Monday 21 January. No calls. Called the CMHC twice and left messages for him at 4 p.m. and 4.55 p.m. On the second call I'm advised it is unlikely I will get a call back that day, as the receptionist is finishing work at 5 p.m., and so is not likely to see Steve to give Him the messages. wThis leaves me wondering what the f**king point is of having a care plan and a co-ordinator, if you can't even get a message to them let alone speak to them???!!!
AND THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES.
After being passed from pillar to post for the last 5 years, seeing umpteen 'health professionals', I am finally brought to my knees by a system that is a shambles.
Last March (10 months ago) I suffered a depressive episode, which resulted in the proposal of a care plan to back my partner and myself up in our daily battle to cope with my bipolar disorder. It would contain vital information about my illness,Mental Health Team, GP, carers, next of kin and medication, in case of emergency; it would contain telephone numbers and names of people we could contact for support; it would be held together by a 6 month plan co-ordinated by a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN). I didn't click with my CPN for various reasons, so after 3 meetings requested my psychiatrist pass my care plan onto someone else to co-ordinate (it was now May and my care plan was still incomplete). No problem, I was told, we'll take care of it.
December 2007. Two weeks before Christmas, a time that is stressful for anyone, in a season when I usually hit my biggest lows. Still no care plan co-ordinator, despite requesting the matter be dealt with at every 6 weekly appointment with my psychiatrist. Don't worry, she says, I'll assign your care to your current Social Worker, to which I am relieved, as I get on well with her and trust her.
I'm still being hounded by my old CPN to 'catch up' and 'do our 6 monthly review', and so embarassingly have to explain to him that I'd requested stop seeing him in May. The poor guy didn't have a clue, He hadn't been informed. I'm left wondering if anyone knows what is going on???
Friday 18th January, 2008. 5 p.m. I receive a call from 'Steve', my new care co-ordinator.... Who? Well, he's in charge of my care now, so he says and wants to meet up to 'touch base'. He's never heard of my social worker. He doesn't have the password to access my files on the computer system. I'm not sure he knows I'm bipolar, what medication I'm on, or anything at all about me. When I explain that I'm totally dis-satisfied with the 'care' I'm receiving and give him details of my whole care-plan fiasco, he gives me the option of discharging myself from mental health services. I advise him to speak to my psychiatrist before taking any further action as he doesn't know my 'case', although I also advise him that I am losing more and more faith in the system and now don't really trust anyone, not even my psychiatrist. He says he's 'hearing me' and will raise all of these concerns at a meeting between all staff at my Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) on Monday, and call me to 'take things forward'.
Monday 21 January. No calls. Called the CMHC twice and left messages for him at 4 p.m. and 4.55 p.m. On the second call I'm advised it is unlikely I will get a call back that day, as the receptionist is finishing work at 5 p.m., and so is not likely to see Steve to give Him the messages. wThis leaves me wondering what the f**king point is of having a care plan and a co-ordinator, if you can't even get a message to them let alone speak to them???!!!
AND THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES.
Labels: Bipolar Affective Disorder, CPN, Mental Health, Social Care
posted by Me at
6:33 PM
1 Comments:
a worldwide disease showing up... I mean bureaucracy. All those resources, employees, money and time involved for state that care program.
just decrease the whole structure to the level of a country like mine:
we do not have a program like that, are you bipolar? we are so sorry, get a job, pay your medication and good luck.
same thing if the program exist but it does not work.
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