I’ve had a hell of a day. One of those periods where it feels like the world is against me. I started this morning hopeful, heading to an appointment I believed would be a formal assessment. I left with a completely different mindset.
“You’ve already had nine appointments.”
At the start, I was questioned about the complaint I’d made about my care — not a secret. Then the (lovely) doctor said he didn’t understand why I’d complained because I’d already had nine appointments with mental health specialists.
So let’s break that down.
- 9 appointments in total
- 6 of those were while I was an inpatient for six weeks — one appointment per week. The bare minimum. I knew it, and so did he.
- The other 3 have been since my discharge in December. We’re now at the end of August. In eight months, I’ve had three appointments.
I am exactly where I started.
It felt like I was meant to be grateful for these appointments. I’m not.
What aftercare should be
Aftercare should not be a box-ticking exercise.
It should be meaningful. It should be compassionate. It should help someone feel as if they are worth living again.
To the UK mental health system
Look at what you are doing now — and do the complete opposite.
Your approach is not working. It hasn’t worked for a long time. People are dying.
Why does nobody appear to see that?
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