Discussion Experiences with the NHS

[NightmareTour]

What are my fellow UK users' experiences with the NHS, mental health services or otherwise?

Have you received the care you needed? Have you been brushed off or refused treatment? Have you had good or bad experiences with hospitals and/or mental health facilities?

I'd really like to see what people's general experiences are like, and find out if mine are just a rare problem, or if lots of people are going through the same kind of thing.

 

[catfletcher]

I'm being cared for by the perinatal mental health team at the moment and they are incredible.
I have a lovely psychiatric nurse I see every week (she comes to my house) and can ring or text her any time during office hours. Out of hours, I can ring the home treatment team. I also see a psychologist every week, so far via computer, but in person from next week.
When they recently became concerned that my mood had dropped and I was having intrusive thoughts, they referred me to an outreach nurse from the mother and baby unit. She came over to assess me a few days later and has offered me and my baby a place at the MBU. I probably won't take it, but I cannot fault their care. I'm really lucky.
If I hadn't had a baby recently, it would not be like this at all though.

 

[Mm80]

What are my fellow UK users' experiences with the NHS, mental health services or otherwise?

Have you received the care you needed? Have you been brushed off or refused treatment? Have you had good or bad experiences with hospitals and/or mental health facilities?

I'd really like to see what people's general experiences are like, and find out if mine are just a rare problem, or if lots of people are going through the same kind of thing.

Very very rigid and limited in their approach.
Anything depression wise, ssris and at a stretch an snri. Usually managed through a gp who reads from a manual.
Uk doesnt even recognise buproprion as an antidepressant. Or strattera for anything other than an adhd diagnosis.
To see a clinical psychologist on the nhs its nearly impossible. Psychiatrists only.
The only talking therapy offered is cbt, which doesn't suit everyone. There is a long waiting list and you only get about 6 sessions.

I'm being cared for by the perinatal mental health team at the moment and they are incredible.
I have a lovely psychiatric nurse I see every week (she comes to my house) and can ring or text her any time during office hours. Out of hours, I can ring the home treatment team. I also see a psychologist every week, so far via computer, but in person from next week.
When they recently became concerned that my mood had dropped and I was having intrusive thoughts, they referred me to an outreach nurse from the mother and baby unit. She came over to assess me a few days later and has offered me and my baby a place at the MBU. I probably won't take it, but I cannot fault their care. I'm really lucky.
If I hadn't had a baby recently, it would not be like this at all though.

Im glad your having a good experience with the nhs. Ive not known them to be this good but im glad its helped someone.

 

[ThrownAwayTom]

I was referred to the local crisis team a few years ago when I had my first real downturn. They were generally quite helpful in the capacity they could be - they asked if I needed a taxi to and from the place (although I refused and walked 5 miles either way out of self pity). I think it can come down to how receptive you are but I had some decent and understanding people to talk to.

It wouldn't take the slightest poker face to lie your way out of there though, they don't seem to dig super deep unless you're open to it.

 

[SHThrowAway213]

The NHS in the UK is a joke.
I was told I was not in the right mindset for therapy.
I told them I tried to hang myself twice, their response was just go over the techniques we told you in the previous sessions, when I said that doesn't help, was told it's because I'm not trying hard enough.
They also made me watch a Ted Talk on suicide and said it was selfish.
On my discharge phone call they asked if I had a plan and still had the rope, I said yes and they still discharged me.
Fucking ridiculous

 

[greebo6]

What are my fellow UK users' experiences with the NHS, mental health services or otherwise?

Have you received the care you needed? Have you been brushed off or refused treatment? Have you had good or bad experiences with hospitals and/or mental health facilities?

I'd really like to see what people's general experiences are like, and find out if mine are just a rare problem, or if lots of people are going through the same kind of thing.

The G.P's I have seen have all done their best. I can't really complain .They have all been quite good/understanding and genuinely tried to help.
But there's only so much they can do.
( And sometimes people are just too broken to repair. I think I am )
I have never yet been hospitalised for my mental health issues so I can't really comment on how that goes.
For other ' normal ' stuff (physical problems) the NHS has always been amazing .
Only problem is ,as always ,the waiting lists .

 

[BPD Barbie]

My most recent experience was overall a good one. I had a good and understanding psychiatrist, good interactions with the crisis team etc. I was extremely open and honest with my psych, told her everything, my plan, my date etc, I didn't get sectioned as I made a promise not to act impulsively. It's a shame the crisis team can only work with you for so long before you're discharged to the community mental health team, which I found was less helpful.
It pains me to see so many people have had bad experiences with the NHS and the mental health team. There is still so much to learn about mental health and how to deal with it. It needs so much more research and funding.

 

[TooConscious]

I've had alot of experience in ten years through generic abnormalities causing serious lifethreatening issues as well as the same with substance abuse overdose and then regular health issues.
Overall on average I've got to say I've been treated better with more empathy when I've been in self inflicted than when it hasn't been my fault when I was bleeding out from gastro diverticulitis I felt lower than an unwanted dog.

 

[Superdeterminist]

As for their mental health services, I found them to be worse than a joke.

 

[albino_elk]

The NHS in the UK is a joke.
I was told I was not in the right mindset for therapy.
I told them I tried to hang myself twice, their response was just go over the techniques we told you in the previous sessions, when I said that doesn't help, was told it's because I'm not trying hard enough.
They also made me watch a Ted Talk on suicide and said it was selfish.
On my discharge phone call they asked if I had a plan and still had the rope, I said yes and they still discharged me.
Fucking ridiculous

Im not from uk but i had similar experiences. One place was amazing and helpful another was so basic and bad like yours:d.. i think You need to try another places if You have a strenght to try it again:}

 

[SHThrowAway213]

Im not from uk but i had similar experiences. One place was amazing and helpful another was so basic and bad like yours:d.. i think You need to try another places if You have a strenght to try it again:}

The NHS is the only service available.
There is the option to go private, but I can not afford it.
I have no strenght left.

 

[Caspers]

Absolute bollox. A complete joke. One of the stalest jokes in the world. I have many more things I could describe it with. They taught me very complicated trust issues that I may never overcome, as well as traumatising me, belittling me etc.

 

[NightmareTour]

The NHS is the only service available.
There is the option to go private, but I can not afford it.
I have no strenght left.

This whole thing really is draining, and the alternatives are way outside of the average person's price range. Kind of a messed up situation.

 

[Caspers]

This whole thing really is draining, and the alternatives are way outside of the average person's price range. Kind of a messed up situation.

5 ️ reply

 

[albino_elk]

The NHS is the only service available.
There is the option to go private, but I can not afford it.
I have no strenght left.

Yeah good staff cost money:c maybe You shoul try to call to a suicide line or something. You could explain Your situation , i believe they have something to offer for people like You with bad nhs experiences. But its okay if You have no mana left i understand this:c

 

[SHThrowAway213]

Yeah good staff cost money:c maybe You shoul try to call to a suicide line or something. You could explain Your situation , i believe they have something to offer for people like You with bad nhs experiences. But its okay if You have no mana left i understand this:c

I would not be comfortable to call a hotline.
I'm very self conscious of my voice, and would be too worried that they would call the police.
Thank you for understanding.

 

[Xander_McG]

I've always had ok experiences with them, When I hit my lowest last month the doctor refered me straight away to the Crisis team, I went to the hospital to see them and they were absolutely lovely. It seemed like They understood everything I was going through and sympathised with me. They then phoned me every day for two weeks after that for check ins and they were all lovely as well. After 3 weeks they refered me back to my GP and he straight away refered me to communtiy health and I've got an online appointment with the psychologist? next Tuesday so it's been quite quick. But I think it all depends on the strain and workload depending on which area you're in, depends what kind of experience you get from them

 

[NightmareTour]

Guess what came in the post today :) it can always get worse

 

[borderlineslut]

currently locked up by them. they're there when I don't want or need them, they aren't there when I do want and need them. they have let me down and ruined my life

 

[MichaelNomad123]

I'm from N. Ireland. The mental health care here is appallingly underfunded (perhaps the worst in the UK?). That being said, what the staff do with what little they have is truly commendable. I am a big advocate of the NHS in N.I. There are some incredible people working here.

That being said, my personal experiences with it have been kind of awful. It's part a stubborn and poor mindset towards help, part lack of being able to relate to the majority of my therapists. I had a particularly bad experience that ultimately turned me on the path away from seeking mental health help and I am eternally grateful for it.

In my mid-20s I had plans to kick the bucket and in my foolishness, I told my college counsellor (I went back to school to finish my A-Levels as a point of pride). She decided to make my life difficult and tried to contact my abusive mother and left a message on mums answering machine. I got to it before she did, fortunately, but to get my counsellor to leave me alone, I eventually relented to admitting myself to the emergency mental health ward via my GP. It's in a town over and hard to get to. I go there, go into my assessment interview and they decide they don't want to admit me. Keep in mind this is like 10pm on a winters night in a pretty rough town. I get kicked out (yes kicked out) and just wandered around the grounds in a daze. It's attached to a public hospital, so walking around in the very open grounds is not illegal. I sat down to have a smoke, deflated, and honestly close to just walking off into the countryside and not coming back. About 2 minutes later some goons from the mental health ward came out to physically remove me from the premises. It was at this point that I realized that no one is going to save me and I can only rely on myself, whatever my path may be. I decided not to kill myself and despite struggling, I'm still around. So, to conclude, as much as I love the NHS (and I do), the best thing they ever personally did for me in relation to my mental health is to not help me.

 

[albino_elk]

currently locked up by them. they're there when I don't want or need them, they aren't there when I do want and need them. they have let me down and ruined my life

Nonono they couldn't ruin Your life, how we react to life problems is our responsibility ( sadly not everyone knows how to act or react to life due lack of many things.. {no education, no family, no affection,and so on} )
From what you have showed to us seems like yeah they are dicks, maybe they have too high numbers of patients ( covid and shit..) its possible that they can't handle the numbers of people in these dark times

 

[NightmareTour]

Nonono they couldn't ruin Your life, how we react to life problems is our responsibility ( sadly not everyone knows how to act or react to life due lack of many things.. {no education, no family, no affection,and so on} )
From what you have showed to us seems like yeah they are dicks, maybe they have too high numbers of patients ( covid and shit..) its possible that they can't handle the numbers of people in these dark times

It's mostly because of massive underfunding and understaffing. It's been going on for years but it's definitely worse right now than it was before

 

[albino_elk]

It's mostly because of massive underfunding and understaffing. It's been going on for years but it's definitely worse right now than it was before

Well you can't blame the people always blame the game:D ( the queen of england )

 

[NightmareTour]

Well you can't blame the people always blame the game:D ( the queen of england )

Oh yeah, it's definitely the system that's the problem, but the system also means that the NHS will hire literally anyone with the right medical qualifications, including those who are completely unsuitable for working with vulnerable people. There are far too many nurses, doctors and mental health workers who are completely lacking in empathy for their patients, and it seems to be a lot more common in the area of mental health.

 

[Misfit72]

All they're interested in is pushing pills - CBT was useless and inappropriate for me as it was trying to make me fix my own problems on the spot, and when I said I was considering suicide and a method, I had two patronising women from the mental health crisis team come to my home, one of whom burst out laughing and completely misunderstood what I was saying. I don't accept lack of funding as an excuse - good manners cost nothing.

 

[BipolarGuy]

What are my fellow UK users' experiences with the NHS, mental health services or otherwise?

Have you received the care you needed? Have you been brushed off or refused treatment? Have you had good or bad experiences with hospitals and/or mental health facilities?

I'd really like to see what people's general experiences are like, and find out if mine are just a rare problem, or if lots of people are going through the same kind of thing.

NHS mental health services are mostly piss poor.

They're not run by people who know anything about mental health. Instead, they're run by people who are basically politicians. Senior managers and even supervisors have been indoctrinated into the target culture, which is all based around what the Care Quality Commission want to see. Much like how schools brief children on how to behave in the classroom during an OFSTED inspection, mental health staff 'act up' during a CQC inspection.

Mental health trusts pay hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of pounds to charities such as Mind to commission particular services, such as help finding employment, while executives on £150k+ salaries moan that there isn't enough money to fund core services such as crisis care.

Trusts also prioritise paperwork to cover their own arse before providing actual help.

Complaints make no difference and if you do complain you will be made out to be a "trouble maker" and "difficult to work with".

In summary, NHS mental health services are very well run and incredibly effective....

The issue is that the NHS has become the UK's national religion. God knows why!
If you criticise it you will be met with warm fuzzy rhetoric about how the NHS is "free" (it isn't!) and how if you criticise it then you're the one with a problem because you don't appreciate it.
Because of this, low standards are informally accepted in the NHS.

 

[esse_est_percipi]

NHS mental health services are mostly piss poor.

Even the average GP working for the NHS is unhelpful, dogmatic and quick to play the mental illness/disorder card for anyone presenting with symptoms which don't admit of easy diagnosis, especially if that person has a mental health record.
You have to push them to refer you to a specialist, for which you have to then wait months, if not years. Pathetic.

 

[Kruger]

What are my fellow UK users' experiences with the NHS, mental health services or otherwise?

Have you received the care you needed? Have you been brushed off or refused treatment? Have you had good or bad experiences with hospitals and/or mental health facilities?

I'd really like to see what people's general experiences are like, and find out if mine are just a rare problem, or if lots of people are going through the same kind of thing.

Please understand that your GP will get a financial incentive for diagnosing you with a mental health condition and an additional financial incentive for prescribing anti-depressants. It;s a sordid little rabbit hole to go down. This is why they are so keen to diagnose people with a mental health condition no matter the actual problem.

 

[NightmareTour]

Please understand that your GP will get a financial incentive for diagnosing you with a mental health condition and an additional financial incentive for prescribing anti-depressants. It;s a sordid little rabbit hole to go down. This is why they are so keen to diagnose people with a mental health condition no matter the actual problem.

Are GPs even allowed to diagnose/treat any mental health issues besides depression and anxiety? Because they're the ones they slapped on me as a teenager, and my current GP either won't or isn't allowed to deal with anything else mental health related.

 

[Emily_Numb]

I've just been referred AGAIN to the Crisis team after a Suicide attempt yesterday. I'm not sure what I will expect this time round but the first time round is was an absolute joke. I often get so depressed I can't talk to anyone or pick up the phone. After not speaking to them for 7 days they sent me a shitty letter saying they were just referring my care back to my GP who is about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

In the past 2 years I have spent almost £10k on private therapy, new drugs treatments like Ketamine, psychiatry with some of the best doctors in my area etc and here I am still trying to end my life.

I am at the stage now where unless I get proper inpatient treatment where I can see a psychiatrist regularly to get a proper diagnosis then I'll no Doubt end up dead. I need to find the money to Go private because from what I've heard about NHS impatient hospitals, it can be immensely traumatic. Very few people I know who have gone through the NHS unsparing services have come out better off.

I've been diagnosed by various doctors with Biploar, BPD, C-PTSD, Treatment Resistant Depression, Anxiety, PMDD.... the fact is, none of them know because how can they when you see them once a week/once a month?

After all this ridiculous carry on the only medication I'm on is Escitalopram 20mg. Utterly ridiculous and completely useless drug.

Sorry for the rant, but in my experiences, most of the Crisis team and CMHT are run by uneducated paper pushers.