Help? Discharged By Psych For Getting A Second Opinion

[katyjane]

Hi there, I would love some advice. I'm sorry if this is written poorly.

TLDR:Was discharged for seeking a second opinion, what am I supposed to do?

I've been trying to get help for PTSD since I realised I had it.

When I moved house, it took a long time for me to be allocated a mental health team. As I was tapering off benzos, I was not allowed therapy till I was completely off of them. I've been off them since November 2015, and I'm still struggling to get help. It's been a nightmare.

In June, I saw a psych who saw me weeks after I got out of a coma. I was not in the best of ways, and was recovering from an operation.

He disregarded all my previous diagnosis, from numerous psychs over the last 4 years. (PTSD, agoraphobia with panic attacks, EDNOS, recurrent depression, anxiety, and have been referred for an assessment of autism, which I later scored 49/50 for.) Instead, he diagnosed me with emotionally unstable personality disorder/ borderline personality disorder with 'elements' of PTSD. He sent a referral to the PTSD team saying I was highly unstable, and therapy would make me worse. (I agree that therapy after a coma probably wouldn't be the best idea, but now I am fine, and would love a referral to go through as the anniversary month (December) is coming closer and closer.

I got a second opinion by my usual psych who is now on maternity leave, who diagnosed me with avoidant personality disorder instead. My former CPN wrote a referral for me, explaining how I was doing well, was off benzos, but need some kind of individualised therapy as I have recurrent flashbacks which get horrendous in December. It was rejected due to the psych saying I was unstable, despite me only ever seeing him once, and that had been 3 months ago.

So, I had the next appointment with the psych upcoming on the 7th of September. After how the last one went, I asked the team if I could see another psych. I was told this wasn't allowed, and I had to do some 'conflict resolution' thing with the psych. I explained there was no conflict, I just felt incredibly uncomfortable and anxious at the thought of seeing him. I just wanted to get help for the flashbacks and other PTSD symptoms.

A few days later, I phoned up and asked the duty manager if I could please cancel the appointment, and rebook it with another doctor. She assured me this was fine, and i was scheduled another appointment on the 30th September.

After this. I received an email and letter saying I had been discharged from the entire services by the psych, as I had missed the appointment on the 7th and was non compliant with his treatment plan..


What am I supposed to do?! Do I have any rights? Can I argue against this discharge?
December is getting closer and closer, I'm dreading it. I am looking into private therapists, but can hardly afford it.
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[joeylittle]

A few days later, I phoned up and asked the duty manager if I could please cancel the appointment, and rebook it with another doctor. She assured me this was fine, and i was scheduled another appointment on the 30th September.

After this. I received an email and letter saying I had been discharged from the entire services by the psych, as I had missed the appointment on the 7th and was non compliant with his treatment plan

I'm sorry, this must be very frustrating for you. I would contact the same duty manager and explain the letter you got, confirm that you did not misunderstand the phone call, and ask her help in sorting it. (I'm not UK, so I could be wrong about the process - but there's a chance that this is just a missed communication, sounds like)

 

[aut555]

They bounced you right out

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]Hi there, I would love some advi...

They bounced you right out the door. The fact that the psy md ignore all your previous intakes was a bad sign. Can you find anywhere else?

 

[katyjane]

Thank you for your advice, I've been incredibly timid to call them up after this, so worried I'll say the wrong thing. The duty manager changes everyday, but I remember the ladies name so should be able to get ahold of her.

I'm sorry, this must be very frustrating for you. I would contact the same duty manager and explain...

 

[hodge]

I'm so sorry, KatyJane. Maybe it would help to call the duty manager you talked to before. I'm hoping one or some of our UK members will weigh in with advice, as I don't know the ins and outs of the situation there.

 

[katyjane]

They bounced you right out

They bounced you right out the door....

Yep :(
I think I said too much about the trauma in the June appointment. I stupidly opened up about something that I've only ever confided in with my previous GP over email.
Looking back, trying to judge his expression, reaction etc, I don't think he believed me. I think he thought I was attention seeking or something. :/ I think he just wrote me off after that.

In the UK, you are sort of stuck with the mental health service provider that you are allocated to by your GP. It's either that or private.
I will probably have to go back to my GP, just to be re-referred back to the same place, with the same psych. It took me from September till June last time, the waiting lists are huge.

 

[digger]

I'm sorry, I don't have the best experience of NHS services myself to advise, but you possibly could try speaking to someone at PALS (patient liaison), or MIND, to see if you can get some sort of advocate to help you put your case across that you believe you've been wrongly discharged from the service?

 

[katyjane]

I'm sorry, I don't have the best experience of NHS services myself to advise, but you possibly could try...

Thanks for reminding me of Pals, totally forgot about them.
Mind just said to go back to my GP and gave me advice on how to make a complaint.
Rethink said to speak to the Duty Manager and find out the specific reason behind being discharged (they can either do it if the patient has recovered or is non-compliant). They said as long as there's a reason, they can discharge anyone for non-compliancy, but agree I haven't anything wrong by just rescheduling with another doctor..
I haven't slept yet, so will go in tomorrow and speak to them in person to try and get them to reconsider/ do something. I'm shocked how they are dealing with a patient who wants help and is 'too mentally unstable' for therapy. My friend is under the same service, has the same diagnosis as me, but *wants* to he discharged, he's sworn at doctors, hasn't turned up to appointments in months, has been incredibly rude but they keep giving him appointments and offered him EMDR treatment. :/
Meh..

So what's private therapy in the UK like? What type of therapy is best for ptsd?

 

[digger]

So what's private therapy in the UK like?

I see a therapist privately. Initially that was more out of desperation than choice. It's costing me a sizeable chunk of my savings - I try not to think about how much, but as trying to get appropriate NHS support (seriously) nearly cost me my life it's comparatively cheap! I appreciate that I'm lucky enough to have been in a position where private was an option though and that not everyone is.

My therapist is not technically a 'trauma therapist', but she knows her stuff and I think realistically it probably turned out for the best that the NHS have been so shite as she's a pretty good match for me.

Another option in the UK, depending on the nature of your trauma, might be to approach a charity for therapy?

 

[Sandstone]

I think the NHS is looking for a reason to discharge anyone they can - it is about lack of money, it isn't personal. I keep having to tell myself that. I'm sorry you too are caught up in this mess.

You already know about Rethink, so you may have seen their listing of Advocacy services, at https://www.rethink.org/services-groups/search?t=4557&g=false&page=1&t=4557&g=false&page=1 I've had really good support from my local Advocacy service.

Generally, it is worth putting things in writing, and I found that it was only when it reached complaint stage that I got any response at all.

 

[Anarchy]

I'm guessing that it's a clerical mess up.

It looks like your name wasn't taken off the stroppy psychiatrist's diary when you'd cancelled it - hence the "missed appointment" crap.

The other psychiatrist's seceretary might be one person who might know the system and be able to get things rolling again.

your GP might be another person who could get you back into the system

good luck
@

 

[katyjane]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I am not having much luck with the NHS. After speaking to them, and being assured I would hear back from the manager, I just received another letter from the same psych that discharged me repeating what he had already- discharging me and wishing me good luck.. ugh.

I am done with this rubbish. I have wasted so many years depressed, struggling with my mental health but even more so, struggling to get help from the nhs. I'm going private, I phoned around and found someone who will see me for £30 an hour (down from 50!).
I've just been made redundant (whole company went bust), and will struggle to get by, but it's better than drawing this out any longer than necessary.

Thank you for all your help x