Post by furiousfrog on Feb 8, 2014 17:20:07 GMT
Hey all,
Sorry to come back after a year like this, but I have some news from the faraway land of Milton Keynes regarding Mental Health Services provision and a request to muster support if possible.
Short ADHD version: There's a consultation looking at mental health provision. We DESPERATELY need voices and feedback on the proposed 2014-17 Mental Health Strategy.
If you live in MK, know anyone who does, or have a specific interest in this, go here and fill in the online form www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/Consultation/302
...
...
Good grief, are you still here? Well, if you're hyperfocussing (or just want more information) let me tell you about my recent experiences and why it's essential that we respond to this consultation.
I've struggled badly over the last 12-18 months after being let down by my PCT. Milton Keynes has no provision or treatment plans for adults with mental health issues other than depression, phobias or major psychoses. After a diagnosis that took >10years to reach, I was offered medication titrated and reviewed by my GP who has never stopped reminding me that "he has no idea what he's doing with it" and is not happy managing it. After experiencing both positive results but also real problems (huge rebound symptoms, concomitant depression and tachycardia) I asked for a different preparation with a longer half-life and a more gradual wear-off. My GP agreed with the request but would not manage this himself. We've since been told that no-one is available to me with the expertise to review my medication. Quite literally, my only course of action is to take it or leave it.
In addition, my daughter is approaching transition to adult services after being diagnosed 18 months ago. Again, she has no adult treatment or support to look forward to, despite not even having titration completed. She suffers from severe anxiety and has been comprehensively let down by the education system who felt that at 15/16, she didn't represent enough of an economic investment for them to bother statementing (despite a direct request from her psychiatrist).
This story will not surprise anyone who has sought treatment for ADHD, OCD or any autistic spectrum disorders in Milton Keynes. Not only do they not have any guidelines or procedures for treatment of adult and young adult adhd, they do not even have a defined procedure for mental health individual funding requests. For over a year, my GP and I have been applying in various different ways for specific treatment. Now, after being sent to 4 different departments and going through 6 or 7 individual requests and form filling exercises, I've just had my request refused.
Oddly enough, this may actually be a very good thing. During the course of these applications, I've made a vast nuisance of myself by constantly phoning, emailing and generally harassing commissioners, consultants and various service managers. Finally, when I was told my request was refused, the new commissioner said it's become evident that there is not enough support for people in my (or my daughter's) position. Therefore, they are investigating the possibility of providing services including disorder-specific CBT and tertiary services to supervise medication reactions and titration before referral back to GP services.
Last week, I was informed that they've released the Mental Health Strategy proposal for 2014-2017 and it specifically mentions ADHD. They're holding a public consultation from 30th Jan until 28th March to seek the views of the service users in MK and we need as many people as possible to get involved.
This link here: www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/Consultation/302
Takes you to the page where you can read the strategy and also you can fill out an online form giving your opinion of the existing service and the proposed changes. If you like in MK, (or know someone who does) please do make your voice heard. As long as you're resident in MK or have been a service user there, or a professional in the field, your opinion is incredibly important.
Please - have a look at the link and fill out the online form to yourself heard. Hopefully, we can get something done that addresses the shocking lack of support for mental health disorders in the area. If you've got some time and you want to get involved, PM me. I'm hoping to meet the commissioner in the near future and will update shortly.
Assuming you're still with me - thank you for reading all of this and please do visit this link: www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/Consultation/302
Sorry to come back after a year like this, but I have some news from the faraway land of Milton Keynes regarding Mental Health Services provision and a request to muster support if possible.
Short ADHD version: There's a consultation looking at mental health provision. We DESPERATELY need voices and feedback on the proposed 2014-17 Mental Health Strategy.
If you live in MK, know anyone who does, or have a specific interest in this, go here and fill in the online form www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/Consultation/302
...
...
Good grief, are you still here? Well, if you're hyperfocussing (or just want more information) let me tell you about my recent experiences and why it's essential that we respond to this consultation.
I've struggled badly over the last 12-18 months after being let down by my PCT. Milton Keynes has no provision or treatment plans for adults with mental health issues other than depression, phobias or major psychoses. After a diagnosis that took >10years to reach, I was offered medication titrated and reviewed by my GP who has never stopped reminding me that "he has no idea what he's doing with it" and is not happy managing it. After experiencing both positive results but also real problems (huge rebound symptoms, concomitant depression and tachycardia) I asked for a different preparation with a longer half-life and a more gradual wear-off. My GP agreed with the request but would not manage this himself. We've since been told that no-one is available to me with the expertise to review my medication. Quite literally, my only course of action is to take it or leave it.
In addition, my daughter is approaching transition to adult services after being diagnosed 18 months ago. Again, she has no adult treatment or support to look forward to, despite not even having titration completed. She suffers from severe anxiety and has been comprehensively let down by the education system who felt that at 15/16, she didn't represent enough of an economic investment for them to bother statementing (despite a direct request from her psychiatrist).
This story will not surprise anyone who has sought treatment for ADHD, OCD or any autistic spectrum disorders in Milton Keynes. Not only do they not have any guidelines or procedures for treatment of adult and young adult adhd, they do not even have a defined procedure for mental health individual funding requests. For over a year, my GP and I have been applying in various different ways for specific treatment. Now, after being sent to 4 different departments and going through 6 or 7 individual requests and form filling exercises, I've just had my request refused.
Oddly enough, this may actually be a very good thing. During the course of these applications, I've made a vast nuisance of myself by constantly phoning, emailing and generally harassing commissioners, consultants and various service managers. Finally, when I was told my request was refused, the new commissioner said it's become evident that there is not enough support for people in my (or my daughter's) position. Therefore, they are investigating the possibility of providing services including disorder-specific CBT and tertiary services to supervise medication reactions and titration before referral back to GP services.
Last week, I was informed that they've released the Mental Health Strategy proposal for 2014-2017 and it specifically mentions ADHD. They're holding a public consultation from 30th Jan until 28th March to seek the views of the service users in MK and we need as many people as possible to get involved.
This link here: www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/Consultation/302
Takes you to the page where you can read the strategy and also you can fill out an online form giving your opinion of the existing service and the proposed changes. If you like in MK, (or know someone who does) please do make your voice heard. As long as you're resident in MK or have been a service user there, or a professional in the field, your opinion is incredibly important.
Please - have a look at the link and fill out the online form to yourself heard. Hopefully, we can get something done that addresses the shocking lack of support for mental health disorders in the area. If you've got some time and you want to get involved, PM me. I'm hoping to meet the commissioner in the near future and will update shortly.
Assuming you're still with me - thank you for reading all of this and please do visit this link: www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/Consultation/302