It won’t come as a surprise to most that mental health services are constantly failing to meet the standards required across the country.
As more and more people are being referred to mental health services, those services are being cut across the board. Underfunding has had a long term effect on services, and although money is being pledged by the government, it’s still not enough.
These failings have been, and continue to have a detrimental effect on a large number of people and far too often resulting in deaths.
Yesterday the CQC revealed their latest report within the area that I live (Norfolk & Suffolk) and for the third time in a row has been deemed inadequate and is in special measures.
I currently receive support from these services and feel grateful for this, especially when I read about those that are waiting extremely long times to access support. These people are vulnerable and often in crisis with severe mental health conditions. And some of these people are now no longer here.
If I was to speak of the support I received in the past here, especially in crisis, I struggle to have a lot of positive things to say. But I feel lucky to receive the right support that I have now.
This latest report does fill me with dread, fear and anxiety though. I’m already in the service but the future of it concerns me. I can understand how those that are still fighting for the support feel. I’ve been there, battled for help and it’s an awful feeling.
It’s difficult to not take it personally. As much as I understood that these failings came because of a lack of funding, cuts to services, staff shortages, the thought still came to me that I wasn’t good enough to get the support or wasn’t worthy.
Having to fight so hard to get the help I required had such a negative effect, and I had a lot of people fighting my corner with me. So those that are doing it alone, it’s easy to see that giving up is the easier option.
The state of mental health services are more than stretched across the country, but when the area you live is being called the worst, it’s difficult to not feel angered, anxious and concerned.
In a way, this report is a positive. The issues have been outlined very specifically and thoroughly. Change has to happen now as there‘s no hiding from it. But how does such a failing service manage to change it all around?
There are a lot of questions that people in this area will have, a lot of scepticism and a lack of trust. This is the third time consecutively that it’s been rated inadequate so why won’t a fourth happen?
Unfortunately it will take time for the services to improve, but now that nationally it’s been highlighted, I do hold hope that this will happen.
That doesn’t take away that people have lost their lives because of these failings, nothing can change that. But more can be prevented if improvements are made and quickly.
I want to make it clear that I’ve had support from some incredible professionals, and have friends within the mental health field who work so hard to improve the lives of a lot of people. I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences, but the blame is not on them. It’s at the higher level management who have so brazenly ignored the issues for such a long time.
All services are stretched and the figures so obviously show this. But every one of those figures is a person, a vulnerable person who is desperate for help. That cannot be ignored.
I really do hold hope of improvements but of course I’m nerved by this latest report, and continue to feel worried about the future of all mental health services throughout the country.
We need to speak up and we need to be heard.
For those fighting for help, please don’t give up. You are worthy.
Lauren Talks 