Waiting for CMHT - how long?

[Keziah]

Hi I know it seems a long way away but your Gp can refer you to a crisis intervention team if she thinks you require hospitalisation. Could you talk to your counsellor about why you might be struggling with suicide right now? Does your counsellor know?

I know 24th July seems a long way away but that is really not long in terms of NHS referrals... having had to wait 16-18 weeks for an urgent appointment for my child who was very ill, I am aware how overstretched the NHS can be and when desperate it can be horrid waiting but knowing a date, does that help?

In the meantime if you are really struggling go to see an out of hours gp who can refer you to the crisis team for assessment in your area anytime between now and the 24th - your gp is not correct, there is more they can do than tell you to wait until the 24th. Crisis teams are in every area, but it would be a different person you see each time, including males on their own in yoru own home.

[asc]

I'm not too bad at the moment, although I had a bit of a setback last week - partly because of an infection and partly because of suddenly losing another little pet.

My main concern is that, although I coped, someone else in the same situation might not.

It is good to know that the out-of-hours GP could refer me to a crisis team if the situation arose.

I really must get some work done today. My back is being a bit of a nuisance and I struggle with the weather but, mood-wise, things are better than they were.

[Keziah]

Hi, yes if struggling out of hours the best thing to do is to phone the 111 service and get an out of hours gp appointment, which runs throughout the night - though isn't always local (our nearest is 6=10 miles away), They then can refer to crisis team.

If you are under the CMHT you cannot have direct access to a crisis team Asc, they refer you to the crisis team if they think there is a need. Crisis teams do not have many staff and are literally for crisis times, and the teams can see people for a few days up to a few weeks. When under a crisis team the usual people in the CMHT team do not see you (as no need to) apart from for handover. It can vary if discharged from hospital.

Would it be worth writing down all the things you struggle with right now - like ill health and loss of pets, so you can tell the CMHT person who is assessing you on the 24th. I imagine it will be an assessment session so the more you can tell them, the more helpful the outcome can be. Also do tell them what counselling you are currently having, so that you have a joined up care approach - the more they know what helps, or what doesn't the more useful the assessment process can be.

Do not worry about other people - if their Gp's think they are in crisis and need to act there are a range of things they can do - from referral to a crisis team, to assessment by an approved mental health social worker etc.... your Gp has listened to you and not seen you as at immediate danger, hence your treatment now.

[sally]

Ann,

how are you today? Did you manage to get done some of the things you hoped to yesterday? Will you try to tackle a bit more today?

I definitely only operate with small steps when I am low and also try to acknowledge what I have done (not all the things I still haven't!) afterwards. Can you try to plan things like that?

I'm praying for you now,
Sally