A WORCESTERSHIRE woman with serious mental health problems says she has given up trying to get help from the mental health team after being ‘ignored.’

The 41-year-old from Droitwich, who does not want to be named, was diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder three years ago but has suffered with mental illness her whole life.

She has taken several overdoses in the past year and said she has stopped calling the Worcestershire Crisis Team as last time they asked her to ‘define what a crisis was’ which led to her feeling frustrated and hanging up.

She said: “I don’t expect anyone to do everything for me but I do think I and others in my situation who want support deserve some help.

“I have been in a period of crisis for six weeks now. Life in general is difficult. When I am well I can work, I have a successful career, but that has been obliterated now. I am desperate for help and support but the services don’t want to deal with me. I feel discriminated against me. I am often told because I am articulate and high functioning I don’t need support.

“They assume I have people there for me when this isn’t the case. My relationship with my family is strained and my mother died. I feel like the system passes judgements, like they want me to prove I am unwell. Which is not helpful to anyone.

“I was once taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in an ambulance and left in a bed in the hallway crying all night.

“The situation is getting desperately worse, not better, I have given up calling 111 now, they don’t want to help. After my diagnosis I was not offered any counselling or guidance. I was just left to fend for myself. I have made complaint after complaint. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.”

“Something needs to change.The idea of a crisis team is to help you out when you are in crisis but sometimes it seems you are just left to your own devices.”

A spokesperson for the Worcestershire Health and Care Trust, responsible for the county’s mental health services, said: “We can’t comment on individual circumstances however we would like to ensure any concerns are formally recorded and investigated in line with our procedures.”

People are urged to raise concerns through the Patient Relations Team (PALs) via email at WHCNHS.PALS@nhs.net or by calling 01905 681517.

“It is important to reassure people the feedback we get for our mental health services is overwhelmingly positive, and anyone in Worcestershire or Herefordshire experiencing mental health issues should contact us to access help and support at the earliest opportunity.”

Research by the Royal College of Psychiatrists this month showed two-fifths of mental health patients waiting for treatment were forced to resort to emergency or crisis services, with 11 percent ending up in A&E.

Following that report the British Medical Association’s mental health policy lead Dr Andrew Molodynski said: “Mental health care has for a long time been in desperate need of more funding and resources – the impact of the pandemic means this sadly looks like it is going from bad to worse.

“These findings confirm some of our worst fears – that those who were already struggling with mental health conditions are now reaching crisis point as a result of being unable to access timely treatment.

“It is not right that these patients have no choice but to seek emergency care and it is a potentially fatal trajectory for many vulnerable patients who may turn to suicide before they get the intervention they need."

He called on the Government to increase the capacity of crucial mental health services to ensure vulnerable patients received the care they needed as a matter of urgency.

ave you had experience of Worcestershire’s Mental Health Services? Send us your views to jemma.bufton@newsquest.co.uk