THE PEOPLE OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARE NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH CARE WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

To name a few problems:

- Many have experienced long waits for therapy (up to a year +). People are getting more ill while they wait. When they finally start the therapy, they find out that it is not tailored to their needs and is less than what they were promised.

- When people complain about the lack of support/ therapy they are getting, they are told that this is all that is on offer and if they're not happy with it then the only option is to discharge themselves. People are made to feel like it's their fault when they question the care they are getting. The fact is that if the care given was good enough, people wouldn't feel like they have to refuse it or complain to PALS about it. Being discharged by a team after they say a person is 'not engaging' only makes their mental health deteriorate because they are left completely on their own and feel like there is nowhere they can turn and like they are a bad person.

- We seem to have no say in our care at all. Why should we be made to feel bad about making our own decisions? we're not all the same!

- People are told they are 'not accepting support/ not engaging' when in truth they are willing to accept it, some people have being trying for years and years but are just sick of how they are being let down. We end up just expecting nothing to help from our negative past experiences so it makes it hard for us to trust what mental health professionals tell us.

- The support from Acute Liaison Mental Health Services in A&E is appalling. Patients come into hospital in crisis feeling suicidal and scared for their safety. Then they are made to wait for 2-8 hours in a waiting room which is scary for anyone let alone someone going through a mental heath crisis. When they are finally able to talk to someone they are invalidated and sent home even if they're feeling unsafe.

- The mental health hub is also very unhelpful. This is the main number people ring when they're in crisis. It's the only out of hours support most people can get. Unfortunately 9 times out of 10, the person on the other end of the phone doesn't sound like they care and people are left feeling like there is no where else to turn. 

- There is not enough support for people transitioning from CAMHS to adult services. Young people go directly from a higher amount of support with CAMHS to hardly anything with adult services which is very hard to go through and makes them feel unstable.

- There is a lack of support for parents/family members/friends of mental health patients. Living with and caring for someone with mental health is extremely difficult, it can start to affect their mental health too. A lot of the time information is hidden from them because of confidentiality and this can make them feel helpless. They are treated like they are a nuisance for ringing up about their loved one. They should be given more respect.

We can't just sit by and know that there are so many people struggling and reaching out for support but then being turned away because of this system! 

SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. Lives are being lost. Please share if you can :)