My MP is coming to visit me « Thread Started on Oct 7, 2009, 1:59pm »
Hello everyone!
I'm new to the forum. What a great resource! Where to start?!
Well I'll cut the long story very short. I was previously a medical student, well up until May of this year when I was swiftly academically dismissed. I began treatment in March of this year and my dosage was being slowly titrated. Despite two doctors and my educational psychologist writing in to support me, the Dean of students still went ahead with their decision.
In August I wrote to my local MP to try and get some help in getting reinstated back at school. A meeting was arranged and he is coming to see me on Friday.
At the same time I also want to raise the whole ADHD diagnosis and treatment for adults. I just think mental health issues are totally neglected in this country. I've basically got all the flyer's and information leaflets used in ADHD awareness week and I think they sum up things nicely, so I'll discuss those with him in more depth. But I really wanted to use this opportunity to highlight out plight because from just reading around on the forum there are lots of people who are struggling to get the help and support they really deserve and have every right to get.
If anyone has anything that they think I should cover and discuss, please let me know I'd like to hear from you!
Re: My MP is coming to visit me « Reply #1 on Oct 7, 2009, 2:22pm »
Hi ruki
Sorry to hear you've been so badly let down by your Medical school!!!
I'm sure others will be along to give advice but as a starter I'm sure one of your arguements for reinstatement might be helped by using the Disability Discrimination Act.
Your certainly right to say mental health in this country is very much the "cinderella" service. It's excellent you're going to involve your MP - we very much need to get them on board!
Joined: Jun 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 1,793 Location: Bristol
Re: My MP is coming to visit me « Reply #2 on Oct 8, 2009, 8:16am »
Hi Ruki,
I'm sorry it's taken me a while to welcome you to the forum and to reply to your post, and in fact I've been remiss with other too so apologies all around.
I'm really sorry to hear about uni, but absolutely well done in getting your MP to come and see you!!
As Annie said, there's a possibility that your Uni may be in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act. Here's a link to information about the statutory responsibilities of institutions of higher education under the Disability Equality Duty:
btw ADHD is a recognised Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) which means that you should be able to get support and assistance to help you cope with uni
For an example here is a link to the Open Universities page about SpLD's
You can also show him the following thread, but be sure and tell him that there is sometimes a big difference between what trusts tell us they are doing and what they are actually doing (it's becoming very clear to us that there are many Primary Care Trusts which are not willing to commission, i.e. provide funding, for adult ADHD services--which of course means they are potentially in breach of the DDA; something the press would love to hear) http://aadduk.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=writepct&action=display&thread=1825
Good luck with your meeting, and thank you so much for doing this!!
Re: My MP is coming to visit me « Reply #4 on Oct 8, 2009, 10:35am »
Thank you both very much!
Thats the kind of stuff I was after and hadn't thought of. I'm getting all my final bits and pieces ready for tomorrow. I'll let you know how it all goes!
gavbelcher Member posts quite a bit member is offline
Joined: Nov 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 158 Location: Black Country, UK
Re: My MP is coming to visit me « Reply #6 on Nov 15, 2009, 10:53pm »
Ruki, well done for reacting positively and proactively. I hope it goes well/has gone well! I suspect that it's one of those issues where persistence pays to a large degree so be stubborn and as forceful as is necessary.
Yes, definitely agree that mental health services are the cindarella service. Round here in the West Midlands they are abysmal!
Re: My MP is coming to visit me « Reply #7 on Nov 21, 2009, 8:33pm »
Hello everyone! I'm really sorry - I went MIA for a while! Well, my MP did come to visit me. I should've known better but I was underprepared, running late, a bit incoherent, lost the plot (and the point). But I did manage to give him all the information on ADD for which he was very happy to take - he didn't know too much about it. As for my letter for University, he was also happy to write a supporting letter. A lot has happened since my last posting at the start of October. I have been through various phases since my diagnosis - the initial obsession "well I have ADHD, thats why", to being resentful, depressed and then wondering what on earth I should be doing with my life. The aim I set myself was to strive to become "normal" and do all simple things that others take for granted, like getting up on time, establishing routine, time management. I've struggled greatly with these. I now have ditched concentrating on my weaknesses, and instead focus on my abilities. I've already got a degree and masters and I just dont want to study anymore! So I'm not going to chase after medicine, besides, if I ended up as a GP by default I would die - of boredom. Through coaching and now having reached the correct dosage on my meds, I'm happy and have accepted (& embraced) my ADHD. There are certain things that I will always struggle with I guess but I know that ADDers have that "edge" that most muggles dont! So I have a few ideas on things I want to do, which I think will keep me stimulated and interested. Thanks for all your encouraging messages and help, I was a bit useless on the day, but I think I got my message across to my MP - even though it wasn't how I planned it!
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You might want to tell the MP that the postcode lottery is alive and well in the ADHD world 
