"Impossible if you need help"

The mental health services offered by this trust are incompetent, inadequate, and consistently fail to think before they make decisions. The Crisis Team generally do not want to help, and made me feel as though I was being a burden- not helpful for somebody who feels guilt easily, and punishes myself through self harm when I feel I have bothered somebody. I was informed by one member of staff that I was an intelligent young lady who shouldn't be feeling the way I do, and trivialised my feelings of suicide and panic. I am stunned that a mental health professional could be so ignorant to suggest that being intelligent means you shouldn't have a mental health problem.

After attending A and E with hearing voices and panic attacks, I was informed that I would be referred to the community mental health team who would contact me in the morning to arrange a visit. This gave me a glimmer of hope for recovery and having support to with the things I'm experiencing. Instead, I was phoned by somebody from the team who said they would support me for 2 days before discharging me. After being reassured by lovely and caring staff at the John Radcliffe that support would be put in place, this response from community bought all hope crashing down.

It's frustrating that the efforts of fantastic organisations such as Mind, and the EDPS at the JR to get people back on track are jeopardised and wasted by Oxford Health.