service users opinions on how they have been affected by changes to services suzanne nash viewpoint...
TRANSCRIPT
Service users opinions on how they have been affected
by changes to services
Suzanne NashViewpoint
Item No. 6
Have services changed?
Pie chart showing service users opinions on recent service changes
44%
13%
25%
18%
Changed for the worse:
Changed for the better:
No change:
Don't know, didn't say,or changed but neitherfor better or worse:
In what ways have services changed for the worse?
CMHT’s and CST’s have become more and more under-staffed: e.g. The Bridge,
Jubilee Rd, Handside Hall
The Bridge, CMHT, Welwyn Garden
City
How else have services changed for the worse?
Coffee mornings/meeting places cut E.g. The Bridge, Jubilee Rd, Foresters Hall
Gaps in support or loss of it altogether Changes in, or loss of, psychiatrists Loss of staff, i.e. not being replaced Loss of day hospitals
E.g. Fairfield, Oxford House
How else have services changed for the worse? Relocation of
services E.g. Harlow and
Chase Farm to QE2, St Michael’s House from Letchworth to Hitchin
Loss of drop-ins E.g. Mind in south-
west Herts
St Michael’s House,
Letchworth
How else have services changed for the worse?
Lower frequency of out-patient appointments E.g. WGC and Borehamwood
Loss of professional reps. at groups Loss of art therapy Closure of Wilbury Ward, Lister CPA’s not being held properly
What do service users feel about these changes?
“Losing the relationships I had with them (support staff who were left and not replaced) has been very distressing”
Had a gap without anything for a month or so, now only have short-term CBT. When that ends I’ll be on my own.”
“I had a period of psychosis triggered by the loss of art therapy and class friends”
“Lots of the groups have been stopping or reducing...makes me feel more isolated.”
“Fairfield day hospital closed. Now what am I going to do?”
Have there been positive changes? Very good
support from GP’s E.g. in North Herts
and Tring Good support
from CMHT’s e.g. Edinburgh
House and The Bridge
Have there been any other positive changes?
Support from local Mind groups E.g. Mind in Dacorum
Very good support from CAT teams Re-opening of early intervention in
psychosis Service user and carer
involvement has increased
What have service users said about positive
changes? “Having CAT team in Watford is a
definite improvement to the services” “Support (of early intervention in
psychosis) is excellent and frequent” “Edinburgh House seems to run more
efficiently these days” “My previous experience of the system
prior to the CAT team was it was less organised, still good but less responsive..”
What alternative sources of support have people sought? 15% - Support groups
e.g. Mind in Dacorum, Lighthouse Club Waltham Abbey, Guideposts Watford.
5% - still looking/haven’t found
5% - Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi
5% - Physical exerciseHenry Smith House,
Watford
What other alternative sources of support have people found? 3% - Samaritans 3% - GP 3% - Self help
groups 3% - counselling 3% - Viewpoint 3%
complementary medicine
What additional alternative support would
people like?
CBT Counselling Financial help and advice Training facility to help people
back into employment More day centre services in
Bishop’s Stortford
What have service users said about alternative
support? “Used Living Room, Stevenage…and that
helped wonders. I’m now sober.” “I really don’t know where to look” “I feel I have no need to look elsewhere, as the
services I receive couldn’t be better.” “Mind in Hemel…very good, better than
mental health services” “I have tried (to look for alternative support)
and no-one gives a damm” “I am looking into going on a Learn Direct
computer course. I don’t know what I will do really, when that finishes”
How easy is it to obtain help in a crisis?
Pie chart showing service users opinions on how easy it is to obtain help in a crisis
61%24%
15%
Didn't say
Difficult
Easy
What do people think of the crisis help received?
Pie chart showing service users opinions of the crisis services they have received
50%
26%
18%3% 3%
Good support
Didn't say
Bad support
Adequate support
Support neither good norbad
What types of help have people used when in crisis? 27% - CAT teams 13% - CPN 10% - CMHT 10% - GP 10% - Psychiatrist 7% - A&E Other: Counsellor, NHS Direct,
Samaritans, Emergency access centre, out-of-hours, CST, support worker, CAB
What have service users said about crisis help
received? “Not easy…when I do get help – which is like
gold-dust – it is very good” “You cannot get any help at all, whether you are
a service user or a carer” “…excellent…My consultant spent one hour
seeing me…follow-up excellent as well” “The CMHT and CAB were useless…CST at Silver
Birch have been wonderful” “…find it extremely difficult to cope, help
received is only just adequate” “Easy to get help, though kept waiting ages at
A&E”
What are peoples’ recent experiences of in-patient
care?
Pie chart showing service users opinions of their recent experience of in-patient care
56%33%
11%
Negative
Positive
Mixed
What were the reasons for the negative experiences? 36% - dissatisfaction with staff (e.g. at
St Julian’s and Albany Lodge) 9% - too regimented (e.g. at Abbey PICU
and Lister Mental Health Unit) 9% - a need for more activities Other comments: not enough
prevention of absconding, lack of follow-up after discharge, difficulty in obtaining personal items on the ward.
What were the reasons for the positive experiences?
Approachable staff
Excellent support Very good care at
Shrodells Food very good
What have service users said about their in-patient
care? “St Julians was a terrible place with lazy, bored staff
who just wanted to ignore patients and mostly did!” “Very good…excellent support from nurses…no
complaints at all” “Awful – never want to be in that situation again!” “…it was a place of rest and a much needed break” “Look back fondly on hospital in places because of
some of the people I met” “Horrendous – I would never set foot in one again!” “First class. The food was superb”