Dear Doctor

[NurseK]

Dear Doctor
Yes you. The one who didn't take the time to read my file, yes I know it's big but it can tell you a lot about me. Dear doctor why was I not worth the time for you to read the letter from my psychiatrist, your colleague, who entrusted you with my care. You barely had the chance to look at me, let alone assess my mental health and conduct a risk assessment. When I tried to discuss my treatment plan and concerns with you, you waived them off and moved on. You took a list of my medications and questioned them making me feel guilty for needing them, making me feel ashamed & questioned my honesty when giving you my history. 5mins was all the time you had for me, not the hour my psychiatrist gives to me every week. You didn't care to hear how my depression is getting worse. You weren't interested in how I was coping with my new medications. You didn't see me at all. Once again my mental illness made me invisible. In those 5mins you made me feel worse then when I walked in. I am always asked to guarantee my safety, to reach out when things get tough and to trust those I seek help from. How am I supposed to place my trust, my life in your hands when you aren't even going through the paces. It's doctors like you that make me lose faith in our health system. It's doctors like you, that when I am having the darkest of days, I will not reach out for help. Dear doctor please step back, take a look at the patient in front of you, make the time to really hear them and make them feel worthwhile. Dear Doctor if you could only take a walk in my shoes for a day maybe you would see me differently. Maybe you would see me as a person not just a diagnosis. I am a person too.

[Croix]

Dear NurseK~

I can hear your very great frustration and anger at your experiences, which as you know are by no means unique - something that makes matters even worse. You have my very great sympathy. I've suffered the same - though to a lesser extent.

I suspect a lot of these shortcomings are built into the system. On the one hand you have professionals such as your psychiatrist having an hour per week with you and who is competent and thorough enough to write on your behalf, on the other a doctor, in a health center or hospital who ignores all but a small portion of the facts and may have limited time or be new.

Additionally I suspect once a patient's notes reach a certain size it becomes much harder to glean an accurate up to date picture without spending a fair amount of time. The only possibility I can think of is to make your own 'executive summary' each time and hand it over - not something that is always going to be practical.

I guess we are at the mercies of happenstance. There are - as you in you profession would no doubt know - doctors who are conscientious and empathetic, in short capable. There are others who just go though the list.

While it might be possible, under ordinary circumstances, to book long consultations and maybe even pick the doctor, in an emergency you are not, and subject to the vagaries of the MH system.

To try to get some positive out of things, you sound as if the psychiatrist is more on the ball.

I hope you -and our- next experiences are better.

Croix

[Doolhof]

Hi NurseK,

Hopefully by writing down your experience and sharing it with us, you have managed to take some of the sting and the frustration out of that situation. Writing can be beneficial and eases a few of my burdens and lightens my hurts, pain and disappointments.

I'm sure many of us here would be able to share stories of interactions with medical people that were not pleasant, disappointing or frustrating. Many of us too would be able to share stories of Drs. and mental health staff who have gone above and beyond.

I'm sorry you had such an experience. I hope you are able to find ways where you feel validated, understood and recognised as a person needing help and advice. I also hope you are able to find that support and care you need.

From Mrs. D.