"Inappropriate Behaviour?!"

I attended the outpatients department at Dororthy Pattison Hospital a couple of months ago for a psychology appointment.

Whilst awaiting my appointment, I was joined in the waiting room by an elderly lady and her family. Then in comes a lady who is a member of one of the community mental health teams. She greeted the elderly lady, her patient, and sat down to await their turn to see the psychiatrist.

So what was so bad that I am writing here about it?

Well the community worker greeted the elderly lady by kissing her on the lips!

Surely this is not the appropriate way for any professional worker to greet a client, never mind a vulnerable adult?

The whole incident left me quite disturbed. I reported what I had seen to the psychologist I was seeing. He said it wasn't appropriate and that I should ask for a complaints form from reception on my way out.

Well it seems we cannot make a complaint against Dudley and Walsall MH Trust any more without first phoning the trust headquarters in Dudley. Why would I want to do this? Before the "merger", we always had forms available to complete and send in. I was already feeling very disturbed by the event, without having to phone some faceless bureaucrat in another town and ask them about it.

I wonder how many other people have been put off complaining as they have to jump through hoops to get to do so?