problems with mental health team

[DRAGON]

Have a 15 year history of anxiety/depression and panic disorder. On Incapacity benefit and DLA (have not needed a medical examination since 1998 but not exempt and DLA renewed every 3 years. No drug treatment. since 1998.
However, the problem is this, I have been receiving support from a CPN since 1996 up until 2005 when I changed team to my city team (rather than my old town where I had the CPN) I saw a Consultant Pschiatrist every 6 to 8 weeks for abouit 20 minutes but asked to be referred back to my own home city team (same NHS TRust) They offered me the team of a Consultant Psychiatrist against whose wife (also a Conbsultant Psychiatrist in the same team ) against who I had previously complained. I declined on the basis that this would be uncomfortable and in effect a conflict of interest, and the mental health Trust discharged me immediately. They will not even confirm the fact that the 2 consultants are married and cohabiting ( I produced the electoral roll information uop to date to prove it) and will not discuss the merit of my objection. Instead the clinical director treated my objection as a "complaint" wrote discharging me, and said that I have the right to go to the Healthcare Commission.

I firmly beleive they should have offered an alternative Consultant, and certainly they should have addressed the issue, argued their position.

So they are totally non negotiable and evading the issue completely.

I am worried that without secondary care support, it could jeopardise my incapacity benefit/DLA reviews in the future, as officials/medical service doctors might interpret the removal of secondary care as indicative of improvement whereas it really is the case I have problems with the local team and there is bad blood there. It is quite influential on those processes that support is provided and though I should not be thinking of secondary suppport in that way, it is of course a serious issue.

 

[archie_fields]

Not sure if this would work but can you ask your GP to a specific consultant?

 

[Dollit]

Dragon you do not need a consultants report for incapacity benefit or DLA (I'm in receipt of both).

Also if you feel you have a legitimate complaint against the consultant(s) in question then you should pursue this through the correct channels - I believe there are patient support groups who will help and certainly your local MIND would be able to give information.

 

[DRAGON]

Thanks

Not sure if this would work but can you ask your GP to a specific consultant?

Thanks, in fact I shall try and ask for referral back to the neighboring county team Its a half hour drive and they were really always fine with me. 8 years not a problem.

 

[DRAGON]

I agree but...

Dragon you do not need a consultants report for incapacity benefit or DLA (I'm in receipt of both).

Also if you feel you have a legitimate complaint against the consultant(s) in question then you should pursue this through the correct channels - I believe there are patient support groups who will help and certainly your local MIND would be able to give information.

I totally agree a consultants report is not really neccesary but it my CPN letters may have helped in the past as I have not had a medical for 10 years and when secondary care disappears from your treatment profile someone at medical services may well notice and it could be the difference between being called in for a medical and not being called in. Anxiety sufferers can look forward to weeks or months of waiting for the dreaded medical and I would prefer to avoid that.

I am confident in the end I will secure support and quite possibly prove I should have been offered a different consultant.

As apoint of fact it isn;t a complaint against a consultant as such , but I declined to see a Consultant as I previously complained against his wife, who is a consultant in the same team. The clinical director discharged me and did not offer an alternative consultant.

I dont know if MIND write letters for clients to help with benefits and reviews, I have never been to the voluntary/charitable sector yet. In many ways I shgould prefer suchg an agency as it gets boring going to one to one half hour chats with the same professional for (in my case) almost 10 years

It will be interesting to see what happens next

Thanks

 

[Dollit]

I mentioned MIND in the context that they offer an advocacy service. They tend to be comprised of a few staff and a lot of volunteers and don't write supportive statements as such. Having said that a member of your family can or a friend - I have on such friend that I name on the form.