"Dumfries and Galloway Mental Health Services"

I moved to Annandale and Eskdale at the beginning of covid. I was very depressed at this point and was admitted to Midpark hospital. I spent just under a year there where I was diagnosed with EUPD and Recurring Depression. The care I received from nurses was exemplary. However, the hospital care I received in subsequent admission  was seriously lacking with me making several serious attempts and just told I had capacity as an excuse to give no extra help.

In August 2020 I was not offered any help despite saying I was going to end my life. No community support or other options, they just said I clearly wanted to die and there was nothing they could do about that. I left intending to harm myself. The staff then phoned the police despite being told by one of them suggesting I could kill myself if I wanted. I believe whether you have capacity or not you should be offered help and not made to feel like death is your only option.

However, after the police stopped me and told my family to phone the police if I left the house I had some more period of instability. In and out of hospital which thanks to the 72 hours policy were no help and against nice guidelines. The failure of doctors in my care is almost made up for the wonderful nurses who I am very grateful to have had in my life. 

These nurses not only in Midpark and CATS who are all for the most part equally amazing. Annandale and Eskdale CMHT are the reason I’m still here. They have spent 1000s of hours talking to me, crying with me and laughing with me through it all.  They have taken my phone calls when I’ve been at the end, stuck up for me against doctors who hold a deep rooted stigma against EUPD (need more training) and celebrated my milestones with me. I want to say a special thank you to my wonderful CPN. They have supported me from just before I spent a year in hospital to now where I am now holding down a job and moving to a new area for this job and have not self-harmed for 6 months.