Mental Health Crisis Team (NSFT)

I wanted to refer a patient for MHCT to support but there was no one to take the referral

Refuses to see me after several attempts

Great, really good support provided by the member of staff I spoke to they gave just what I needed which was a step by step look and way forward - Wonderful.

Completely dismissed and not taken seriously.

So many times I have desperately required this services help. My survival literally depended on it. Highly suicidal hallucinations, voices, not sleeping well (2 or 3 hours broken up over 2 plus days), serious mood swings, nightmares and flashbacks. I have multiple mental illness bipolar, gad and ptsd, yet told no help even after huge morphine OD. Sent home without help, now been begging for med change since last year not even a call back ever.

My parents rang 111 in early April this year (2020) during a breakdown where I repeatedly screamed and cried that I wanted to kill myself. I felt suicidal after a long battle of mental illness and constant relapse, alongside studying medicine. 2 people came round the next day to ask questions. I asked what’s happened to my autism diagnosis referral (I was referred 2018) and they didn’t know anything about it. I was adamant my mental health was and has been secondary to undiagnosed ASD/ ADHD, so whatever neurotypical coping mechanism they were going to give me I didn’t want to hear it. A Psychiatrist came the next day. Was adamant I have borderline personality disorder and not autism. And that I was depressed, so all they did was up my antidepressant dose.

I was assigned a nurse who was supposed to come and see me regularly - as much as covid would allow. I had phone calls once a week where someone from crisis team would literally read from a checklist “rate your mood from 1-10” “do you know what your triggers are”. This is NOT helpful. It’s just robotic and as someone who has been under mental health services for years without success, why are the same bland questions repeated again and again? Anyway. I was assigned a nurse who for whatever reason couldn’t meet me face to face until late June/ early July (remember I was referred to crisis team early April). Bear in mind I was in the top category of urgency/priority, this is NOT acceptable. A few days before finally being due to meet in person, the nurse text me saying someone complained against them and they were taking period of leave. I asked if that meant we wouldn’t be meeting anymore, and they never replied. I heard NOTHING from anyone until the nurse messaged out of the blue, late in August. I’d moved away ready to start my 3rd year of medical school at this point.

Luckily, my parents found a private autism&adhd specialist, and as a result of regular video sessions, they have been a huge part of the reason I got through that suicidal/depressed phase. Once my mental health was less of the issue, they then helped me with my neurodivergent struggles. You can’t medicate autism, hence I never pushed to pay for diagnosis, but when I realised I would likely benefit massively from ADHD meds, my parents paid for an assessment. I scored very highly in the assessment so now have a combined type ADHD diagnosis - this psychiatrist thinks BPD is a misdiagnosis, and I agree.

Can I add as well, the nurse I was assigned throughout my suicidal/ depressed phase, when I told them I think I’m depressed secondary to unmanaged autism and being constantly overwhelmed he said we focus on symptoms not labels. I agree with this to a point, but any coping mechanisms I’m taught which doesn’t consider the fact I’m neurodivergent is just plain stupid.

With the private autism&adhd specialist, I discovered my triggers and appropriate coping techniques. NONE of these techniques were ever suggested to me when I was being treated as a Neurotypical with mental health issues. When I’m overwhelmed, Deep breathing/ mindfulness winds me up. Walking/ exercise makes me mad. Journaling makes my brain more scattered. Being neurodivergent is SO relevant, and every member of the crisis team failed to acknowledge this. The lack of understanding of high functioning autism in females by mental health professionals is shocking. High functioning DOES NOT mean high coping.

I believe if I and my parents did not pay for private help, for 1:1 sessions with the private autism&adhd specialist, and for my adhd diagnosis which has led to me now having medication which works, then I would not be here.

The NHS crisis team absolutely failed me during my lowest point in life and it is NOT good enough.

I have a diagnosis of PTSD and Autism I have been under the IDT in which treatment has become very difficult . It’s very complex , I phoned the crisis line expecting support yet the conversation was about my mental capacity and how I had mental capacity I explained that I had an IQ of 146 ( a lot of people on the autism spectrum have ) and probably had more mental clarity than most and if needs be I’m more than willing to recite the mental capacity act in its full legal glory, what I do not understand is I rang to gain support in a crisis but I got dragged into a entire conversation on mental capacity which I am pretty clued up on I’m not sure and I’m slightly confused how the mental capacity act came into a scenario and was the deciding factor as to whether I could access support or not it seemed because I’m relatively intelligent I’m not entitled to access this service as I have a lot of knowledge On mental capacity and actual full mental capacity. I could of taken a well rounded legal argument forward on that matter However suffering the god awful effects of ptsd which is a mental disorder and illness is irrelevant for support what is relative it seems according to crisis team is my mental capacity under this act . Anyway I’m not calling again unless someone can assure me it’s a service which is about supporting people in a crisis not a service which uses mental capacity law on decifering access despite this being a service I can apparently access whether I can recite mental capacity law or case law or not as the internet is full of mental capacity act resource along with case law within the court of protection which ascertains what is arguably under various circumstances mental capacity law that if I wanted to read I can and have at times just for fun because I don’t need the crisis team for that as when it comes to mental capacity act I’m probably at a guess pretty much more clued up . Anyway it’s a bizarre service . I don’t think the lady I spoke to liked me and she certainly couldn’t wait to get me off the phone . I wonder if she is aware of the NSFTs green light tool kit or her duty of care towards equality of access to service anyway it’s all very bizarre and questionable who’s has the difficult behaviour ?

This service has saved my mother a few times. The most recent was when we access 'Out of Hours' who sent us to A & E who then got them to us. Support has been amazing.

Staff sickness means no continuity of service. Quality of advice is poor. Clients are treated as problems not people.

Repeated discharged despite saying my cared for one was suicidal, repeated overdosed.
I also have experiences of a number of service users through our support group. A number have been discharged from JPUH while still distressed to walk the 8+ miles home along dual carriageway. There are rarely positive experiences and in my opinion things have got worse unless able to escalate cases.