"Telephone triage appt system- very unsafe in mental health"

The GPs decided that all appointments, routine or urgent have to go through telephone system only.

Now, if you ring there is also a message saying the same and so when you have severe mental health symptoms where using the phone is unmanageable and triggers more symptoms, this is what you have to do. Or you don't get any GP appointment. Including when suicidal. Including where you might have hallucinations. Including when you might be in a very dark place.

My close relative has very poor mental health, lives alone, doesn't have support workers or carers or a psychiatrist and there is no safe crisis care in mental health in this area. We all live out of London and cannot provide the care she needs and shouldn't have to be the link to a GP who has decided to cut off very vulnerable patients this way.

The GP like all GPs has a register of all patients with severe mental illness and it's not as if they don't know her situation as many times she's been in hospital. She also has poor physical health that anyone without a severe mental health condition would get seen for but she can't now because her GP has cut her off this way.

What this phone only system does to her is this:

Stops her being able to make any contact because she gets psychosis and now the GP refuses to let patients go in and make an appointment or email even when disabled or have poor mental health;

Makes harmful dangerous voices she hears even worse and more risky - which is why she doesn't have a phone in the first place;

Tells her that she doesn't need help when symptoms are florid and she is unsafe because the GP isn't at all accessible;

Tells her not to take medication because her not seeing a GP means no one monitors this;

Tells her no point seeking help if and when her life is at risk. She has attempted suicide in the past.

Clearly any GP knows full well that having a telephone only system stops very many being able to get a GP appointment but went ahead and did it anyway . Clearly looking on review sites they have been told and any GP worth their salt knows this - it is obvious and very basic healthcare to know the above if you are a busy London GP training practice.

How can any GP think this is OK.

Really terrified something awful is going to happen to her and we get a knock at the door from police.