My love/hate relationship with the NHS

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By Amysboarderlineworld

The NHS have just celebrated their 70th birthday, which saw social media, news channels, newspapers and magazines full to bursting with amazing stories of the NHS being nothing short of fabulous. Because of this it makes this post ‘My love/hate relationship with the NHS’ a little scary to post.

It’s a scary thing to write because, as always, I never know what the response will be. My love/hate relationship is split between the great things it has done to help my son and the truly hideous way that I have been treated for my mental health.

My eldest son, 5, has had 2 overnight stays in hospital and a small operation in his short time. The NHS teams were amazing with him and were great at explaining things to us and reassuring us too. I love them for looking after him and ensuring he got better as soon as possible. So I really thank the NHS for that.

Disappointed and let down

However, on the flip side to that, I am so disappointed and let down by the treatment (or lack of) that I have received from the mental health team in my area. I have been let down so many times I’ve lost count.

I’ve been patronised by psychiatrists, ignored by them too, leaving me very vulnerable. I have never been given any kind of consistency with my care, I have had 6 CPNs in 4 years and months where I had none at all. I’ve had them not turn up to appointments, forget to put referrals in, forget to book therapy sessions and book appointments with my psychiatrists. I even had a CPN breach my privacy by giving out some of my personal information. I was forcibly put into an inpatient ward and almost sectioned for no viable reason. Luckily, I was in a position to argue my case along with my husband, and was let out that same evening!

This is not even the full list of ways I have been let down. I am sure you are beginning to see the hate part of my love/hate relationship. This is why I couldn’t write an “The NHS is amazing!” post: because for me it really hasn’t been. I am not taking anything away from the incredible people that work there, however. I’ve seen those nurses pull double shifts with no breaks but still manage to smile and be kind. I know they are truly amazing individuals! They deserve more money and more recognition!

It infuriates me

I honestly think the NHS is a mess when it comes to mental health in particular. I have had two operations on the NHS in the past, one minor and one major, and funnily enough the care was fine. No major issues, no let downs at all. But ask to see a member of the mental health team and be prepared to be let down! It infuriates me! Why should a physical illness be treated as more important than a mental one? It shouldn’t!

I’m really hoping that things can change. They NEED to change! Mental health needs a lot more money but also a lot more understanding of what is needed for mentally ill people from those in positions of ‘power’.

I wrote a post just recently on how the NHS mental health system is failing those with children, you can read that and my experiences here. I am actually already working on an idea to improve the NHS mental health system in my area, with a close friend. It’s specifically designed to help those with babies and/or children get the help they need without having to worry about where their children will be looked after. I’ll be writing a full post on that very soon.

People are being let down

I want to make a difference. I can’t stand the thought that people are being let down in the same way that I have been, and continue to be, let down!

Like I said, it is not all doom and gloom, as I am eternally grateful for the care my son received and for the truly amazing and inspirational nurses and other staff members that work so so hard every hour of the day and night!

I hope this post, my love/hate relationship with the NHS, is understood for what it is. My personal experience of the NHS. Not a mission to get people to hate the NHS or anything like that. I just think it’s important for people to see what the mental health system is really like. Or else how will it ever get better?

Stay safe.

Love, Amy xxx

Reproduced with permission, originally posted here: amysboarderlineworld.com