I have a relative who has suffered for many years with severe depression and anxiety. He has been treated recently at the Bristol psychopharmacology clinic, supported by the Avon and Wiltshire NHS Trust and the University of Bristol. Before we found this clinic, we had to fight for proper treatment for years and were told by everyone else that nothing further could be done for him and that he would just have to live with his illness. Until you know someone who suffers like this, it is almost impossible to imagine the pain and distress that it can cause for everyone involved. At the Bristol clinic we were finally given a ray of hope for an eventual cure. Now I am outraged to discover that the clinic will be closed in September without any review or consultation, leaving us and, I am sure, many other like us feeling angry and abandoned.
I am starting this blog to see if there is anyone else out there who feels as we do and to make sure that those responsible for the decision understand the effect it will have. I also want to find out what can be done - Who should we contact? - How do we protest? As I find out more I will post further blogs to this site.
Please post comments below and let your relatives and friends know by sending this link or copying it to Facebook: www.depressedstuck.blogspot.co.uk
Note that the clinic has moved from the Bristol Royal Infirmary to Avonmead at Southmead Hospital until September.
Also email me on psychopharmcare@gmail.com so I can send you all the information I have compiled so far. This will be updated regularly; it is worth visiting the blog regularly as some suggestions appear as comments. Subscribe to the blog then you will be notified. AND.... make sure you leave comments, stories, impressions they are always very useful in describing the situation. While the closure is a problem local to South West England (5 million people!) , the problem of neglect of the treatment of chronic and severe depression is widespread, at least in the UK.
