Mental Health Crisis Team (NSFT)

In 2017 my dad was very unwell but does not think he needs help when he is ill and won't seek help. We spoke to the idt who contacted crisis team and after some discussion with us and an attempt to see him called a MHA team. He was very ill so was taken to Woodlands where staff were very kind whilst we waited for the assessment. They kept in contact with us throughout and listened to what we said despite the fact they could not tell us much as dad does not let us get involved much when he is ill. We have had experience in another area of the country where it took days or weeks to get help. Dad was in hosptial within a very short space of time. Dad does not agree with everything as he still thinks he was not ill but even he says it was better than experience than it has been at times in our previous area. We wish he was able to have a care coordinator although he is still seen by a psychiatrist.

Attended A&E in late evening with distressed under 18 (who had been mistakenly discharged from Woodlands after brief inappropriate stay, earlier that day), but who at this stage knew he was unwell, and we had been told no home intervention possible. Took until 4:30am in morning for anyone to visit him (despite Crisis team passing him 3 hours earlier). No treatment or intervention, but told he needed CAMHS doctor urgently. It took a further 12 hours for one to come, by which point he had been broken mentally completely, and four months on, remains in hospital. We should have travelled to anywhere else.

The mental health crisis team refuse to come and see people who are in Ipswich Hospital Critical Care unit due to an attempted overdose - due to them being in a 'too vulnerable' state. Once the physical health of these patients improves, they are moved onto a main ward - however this means that they are then entitled to discharge themselves. The hospital has no powers to stop them from leaving. This often gives a very small period of time for mental health services to provide crisis support - however most patients just tend to self-discharge and walk out. This leaves very vulnerable individuals, who have just attempted suicide, with little to no MH support post-discharge.

I went to A&E because I was desperate. Member of staff came to see me in a room where I was lying on a bed. She treated me as if I was a nasty thing the cat brought in and peremptorily told me to go home. When my body shook all over at this and I was hanging off the bed so that I was in danger of falling off, I shouted for help and I was told by the member of staff "You've done it to yourself, get yourself up." I was in such a state that I could not co-operate with the request to leave and security was called and they effectively threw me out. I later requested my notes and found that I am supposed to mimic anxiety symptoms and am well known for it. That is a totally false judgement based on misinterpretation of an observation. I am very ill at the moment but they have succeeded in ensuring i never to go A&E again.

My brother had a breakdown and referred to this service. False promises and information provided, had to chase for a follow up. Discharged back to gp after short time period despite him being young, transgender and at risk of radicalisation. Problems with prescription. Left waiting for long periods in the waiting room each time at woodlands with the alarms going off on the wards and pumped up male nurses running about - one who made flippant comment to us. Not helpful when we’re feeling sad and vulnerable.

Some individual staff ok but as a collective service, I was sadly disappointed.

My experience is of someone in crisis, psychotic episode, wife begging and crying for the crisis team to see her husband, and being turned away without anyone seeing them, even after A & E staff have assessed person as being high risk.

Attended with my son who was suicidal. The nurses were brilliant but the doctors were dismissive and patronising

Left a message on the CRISIS phone when I was in CRISIS Suicidal that was 5 months ago still waiting for a call back.

Norfolk and Suffolk Healthcare Trust most certainly deserve and more IMPORTANTLY NEED to be in SPECIAL MEASURES - this Trust has one of the highest suicide rates in Britain - l have now had 33 referrals for support with my significant depression and NOTHING! No care, kindness or compassion whatsoever and these views are shared right across all Service users. There are NO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES for ADULTS in Suffolk!

While I acknowledge this is a systematic problem and not one caused by the staff, this service is seriously lacking. It feels as though even when you are begging for help none is available. There are not enough types of therapy available (CBT does not work for everyone!), waiting times for psychiatrists are completely unreasonable, crisis support feels almost non existent (I have presented at A&E and been sent home with nothing more than good wishes and a crisis number that wasn’t even correct) and I have had experiences with staff which I found incredibly unhelpful where staff were rude and dismissive. If it were not my only option, I would not seek treatment here.