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"Seeking help but turned down"

About: Bunbury Mental Health

(as the patient),

My fiance' had referred me to the Mental Health Clinic due to my mood shifts, episodes and break downs. I spoke to the person on call over the phone and I was told to come in to talk to one of the mental health nurses. She seemed very persistent about offering support and told me that she will organise the Psychiatrist to consult with me. I insisted I wanted an appointment face to face but was instead given a phone call. I got told I was to be administered medication to help with the intensive mood shifts and that an appointment will be made. But my fiance' got a call from the Mental Health Clinic saying that I am not a high risk and that there was nothing they could help me with. Over the weeks I had been high and low constantly which has been going for a while since I was 14. I had Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services assisting me with therapy who raised a red alarm that I was having depressive episodes. They decided to refer me back to the GP for 1 year of medication while in care of child protection. That wasn't continuing as long as I required because my GP wasn't supporting that or taking consideration. So after backwards and forwards I am pretty frustrated and losing hope that I will get any better because I am pretty sure something is wrong if I am having constant thoughts of suicidal ideations while 20 weeks pregnant. I am very disappointed when I had complained about the outcome to the Bunbury Mental Health and the Shadow Minister for Mental Health, it had not been resolved as it should be. Numerous referrals from Headspace, Waratah and Bunbury Regional Council to the Mental Health Clinic had been ignored during the three week period. This is just not good enough.

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Responses

Response from Kerry Winsor, Regional Director, WACHS - South West 7 years ago
Kerry Winsor
Regional Director,
WACHS - South West
Submitted on 1/03/2017 at 10:50 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 10:50 AM


picture of Kerry Winsor

Dear Seeking help but turned down

Thank you for sharing your story on Patient Opinion. I am sorry to read that you have had difficulty getting help from our mental health service and that you are upset by your experience.

We would like to help you and find a way to improve our service and take the opportunity to discuss your experience as a way to follow up. I encourage you to contact Debbie Easther, A/Regional Manager Mental Health on 97 221300 or on email via debbie.easther@health.wa.gov.au

Once again, I am sorry that you have had this experience with our service and I would like you to know that hearing stories such as yours is actually really helpful in terms of highlighting where we need to improve.

Regards

Kerry Winsor

Regional Director, WACHS South West

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Update posted by Sapphirevirgo1 (the patient)

Thanks Kerry

I had raised this issue with a staff member at the Mental Health Clinic many times but feel this person doesn’t care. I had got worse over time where I wanted to harm myself because of flashbacks and nightmares from my ongoing childhood trauma and this is why I had been going to the clinic many times. It's not fair for my unborn baby to have to suffer with its mother's mental health problems. And that's when I last stormed in because I got fed up with the miscommunication between them. I felt like I wanted to lose the plot because I believe the way they treated me is disgusting. I'm a person not a monster. I'm starting to believe the clinic does not give a rats about anyone but themselves especially not caring about young, disadvantaged mums to be.

Response from Kerry Winsor, Regional Director, WACHS - South West 7 years ago
Kerry Winsor
Regional Director,
WACHS - South West
Submitted on 3/04/2017 at 12:05 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:32 PM


picture of Kerry Winsor

The following response has been submitted on behalf of Debbie Easther the Acting Regional Manager of Mental Health, WACHS South West.

Dear Seeking help but turned down

Thank you for speaking with me today about your experience with the local Mental Health Clinic.

I am relieved to hear that you are feeling well supported by the clinic now. Please ask to speak to the manager at the clinic if you have any further problems with your care.

It is really important that you get good support when you are not feeling well.

Kind regards

Debbie Easther

Acting Regional Manager Mental Health

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