"Patients & carers rights are needed."

There is a total lack of joined up thinking by the professional team(s) (consultants, nurses, out reach team & social services) lack of communication, this is to the detriment to the patient, family and the long term recovery to the patient. There is a lack of accuracy in my sons medical records, each consultant has to rely on previous comments and not enough details relating to an incident/situation from another consultant/nurse when this happens there is not enough information means that they act on incorrect information. This has a inappropriate consequences to the patient and the carers. The complaints procedure seems to be like a closed shop, the team don't appreciate what the family has gone through. They don't seem to be able to investigate situations properly. The length of time it takes to get answers from the complaints team is too long, and then when the answer finally comes back it doesn't resolve the situation. No one admits fault on anything. The nursing staff I feel are doing there best with the slow system that seems to be coming from the managers. If complaining to the hospital manager about an incident that’s happened on the wards, the hospital manager doesn't have any authority to deal with the consultant if they have been investigated and something found to be an issue, they are unable to follow up with any actions. The mental Health services is just about the most difficult service to deal with, they seem to only be able to have there perceived medication to prescribe, which isn't helping some patients and I feel that they should go through other routes before prescribing any medication. This doesn't result in a long term fix as this just buries the condition; this is the not the way to deal with people. Customer care is very difficult as they don’t seem to emphasis with family and there is a definite inconsistency with staff and the consultants in how they perceive things and how they proceed in trying to resolve patient's conditions. With regards to risk assessment we are not involved or asked about how we perceive the risk from our family member, we don't get to see the risk assessment or we don't get anything in writing so there is a complete lack of communication. The risk assessment incorrectly mentions past incidents as the risk so they are not dealing with what they see now as a risk, but what has been recorded previously from past incidents which can be inaccurate or misleading. This doesn’t take into account how the patient is presenting currently. There are no control measures on the risk assessment. When the patient is released into the community, the risk assessment is then carried out by the nursing discharge team who then look again at the same inaccurate or misleading risk assessment. This does not give an accurate risk assessment at a particular moment in time with the patient. There is a breakdown in communication between the mental health service and child protection unit as well.