Dark days for mental health services

[YoursTunbridgeWells]

I was given a heads up that mental health will be a low priority fo the NHS.

I keep reading posts where people are told to go to GPs for their anxiety - they will be completely overrun with other stuff anyway.

Many antidepressants are in short supply. Certraline has an ingredient made in China and our local pharmacy has had to "cold turkey" people off it.

I have heard psychiatrists and mental health nurses (who are medically trained in the first instance) will be pulled back to help out with other disciplines.

Appointments locally are being cancelled as they are face to face.

It's an abysml situation. But may be this one where people could try to help each other out and support a bit more.

And social Media- including Mumsnet has a huge role in this. I think all non evidence-based info should not be allowed to be shared anywhere.

Yes I was thinking about this. Whole situation is depressing and anxiety producing for me and I'm generally pretty happy. Can't imagine what it's like for people who suffer normallt xx

Unfortunately it is what it is. I’m a front line nhs psych Ward staff member who was diagnosed bipolar in my second year of work.
I’m currently both using and running services. And honestly from the corner I’m sitting at where I can clearly see both sides, apart from managing the CV much better with more medical equipment and more testing (which the NHS trusts running MH services can’t do) I don’t know what to suggest 😩 so scary

I work in a doctors surgery and we have actually been really quiet last week and yesterday. People are avoiding coming in and cancelling appointments.

If you have trouble and need support with MH I would suggest ringing the GP. If they can't see you due to the virus, they can do a phone consult with you, which may be better than nothing at all.

You can also speak to them about concerns of obtaining Sertraline, as they are the most qualified to guide you with your medication requirements.

I, myself take sertraline, I got a 2 month script recently, so will have to hope this will last until there is more certainty.

yourstunbridge I dont know who gave you the "heads up" but I can assure you that is not totally accurate.
I am a psychiatrist working in an NHS mental health trust. We are doing everything we can to ensure the ongoing care of all of our mental health patients. So far we are still offering appointments as we would do otherwise. There will have to be some prioritisation over the coming weeks, mostly due to increased staff absence but pts will still be receiving care. All of my patients still have supplies of medicaiton. If there is a neede to change medication due to supply issues this will be managed safely and carefully.
We are not "being pulled" to work in other areas.
I understand you are worried, but it is important to consider that what you are being told by various sources may not be the truth. I think it is super important that these kinds of rumours are limited as they simply just increase people's anxieties at an already difficult time and make it harder for NHS staff.
Helping each other out is an excellent idea and I would defintiely advocate checking in on aynone that struggles with their mental health as these are indeed difficult times for them

It’s been a low priority for a long time

Heads up was given by an NHS psychiatrist in CAMH. My son is severely ill right now. We were warned.

Well they are obviously a bit shit at their job by scaremongering without evidence.

I suffer with very poor MH I’m supposed to be self isolating for 12 weeks due to other conditions I won’t survive 12 weeks I can barely manage a couple of days on my own