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.
18 comments:
This is another example of how neglected chronic depression is in the UK- as if our suffering was not as bad as others. Bet it would not happen in other first world countries
If it were not for Clinic 7 I would not be here today. Life is still a struggle, but it is there to give people hope - real hope - that someday, there will be help. If any solution to depression can be found, it will emerge from this clinic, with its highly trained personnel who work on the cutting edge of research.
It is important to read the stories. Most people don't realize the tragedy of this condition.
I have noticed that people from abroad have read this blog. I think that anyone who experiences chronic or treatment resistant depression should leave messages - while the closure of the clinic in Bristol is a local matter- lack of expertise in treating this condition is probably universal. So that you understand- this clinic has existed in the last 20 years and has a national reputation. However both the University and the local health provider are going to close it. There was no consultation and there appears to be no understanding of what it does. A similar service in cardiology would be cherished and protected. This is pure ignorance and neglect of those who traditionally cannot complain because if their illness. Leave your stories or comments whoever you are. Local people: I gave a sheet on what to do. Do email me.
We have been grateful clients of Clinic 7 for 16 years and learnt of its potential demise yesterday at Avonmead, Southmead. Devastated by AWP meltdown. Please share any information you have with us. We will do whatever we can to fight for its survival.
Writing as an NHS Consultant and academic the lack of proper consultation doesn't suprise me as this sort of thing is happening in my part of the NHS too. If you are a small specialist service then your service is vulnerable to financial drivers and can easily become a 'cost saving' which makes Andrew Landsley's statement about not cutting frontline NHS services a nonsense. You could see if your local MP was interested in the situation....
This is an absolute disgrace and will doubtless lead to even more deaths in patients for whom this service is a last resort in an illness that ineffectively treated leads to suicide in 15% of patients. I would not be here were it not for all the efforts of Dr. Malizia and his colleagues in Bristol and was myself treated with DBS, a treatment going through clinical trials, which would have been unavailable anywhere else. Perhaps the most effective way of reversing this tragic decision would be by bringing this to the media's attention? We really need to get this decision reversed as a matter of great urgency so if anyone wants to contact me then they are most welcome to do so at marrjohnnys@hotmail.com and I will do all I can to assist.
We all know that depressive disorders are among in the very top in terms of global burden of diseases. Severe and treatment resistant depressions are associated with not only profound distress to the individual, but equally worrying impact on the family and friends and having adverse physical and psychosocial consequences including suicide. Within UK mental health services, specialist services for affective disorders including severe and treatment resistant depression are already scarce, and the closure of the Bristol Psychopharmacology Clinic is hugely disappointing. I think patients, carers and professionals should all raise strong voice to prevail on the powers that be to withdraw such anti mental health and draconian decisions.
Whilst i don t know this service personally, I know that specific services for enduring and treatment resistant depression are vitally important, primarily to the service user and their family and carers, but also to those of us working in general adult psychiatric services who need a an expert assessment and further treatment for these patients at times. THe local health service cannot legally close a service like this one without both a consultation and an impact assessment for the closure of the service. I would suggest that you write to the local commissioning body and ask to see these 2 documents. It may be that a small and invisible consultation took place - in which case that should definitely be challenged. The service users and staff of the service should be amongst consultees. The consultation must make it clear exactly what is being proposed and must give an adequate time for response - about 6 weeks is usual. The impact statement needs to draw from not only local information but also experience and evidence elsewhere. If these processes have not been followed then the decision needs to be challenged or potentially it is a matter for judicial review. a public law solicitor can advise. Good luck!
Can personally recommend Gwendolen Morgan, solicitor, at Bindmans in London if a public law opinion is needed - she also has worked for clients in mental health act reviews etc
My husband was reffered to this clinic as a last resort five years ago. I dont know what we would have done if Dr Malizia was not prepared to prescribe drugs at higher levels. He continually endeavours to get the combination of medications to an affective level. I am sure my husband would not be here if it were not for the support we have had. He is such a cheerful and positive man and just keeps going. We are so greatful to him. I really hope a way will be found to keep this clinic going. If he goes what a terrible waste of such experience and expertese
Yet another example of some papershuffler trying to cut costs and not caring a toss they are cutting peoples lifeline ( literally) to a vital service . I saw Dr Malazia as a patient yesterday and was livid at the thought of such an experienced, qualified caring human being being dropped like a used tissue.
I am finally getting the specialist help I need after years of useless ssri's , only to have it yanked out from underneath me again.
NOT IMPRESSED ONE TINY LITTLE BIT BY THIS BULLSHIT DECISION !!!
While we are all frustrated and dismayed can I please ask everyone to refrain from using colourful language? I know that it expresses emotions but may detract from the main message. Keep the comments coming.
i can not believe that anyone could even consider closing such a important clinic. if it was not for Dr Malazia and his team, i would not be here 2day. to have some one who understands how you feel and nowing what you are trying to explain is a life line in itself, nowing that the is help of the highest standard there to help give you a lite in the darken tunnel that is your life. after each visit to the clinic the lite gets a little brighter, and you now that with such good care the clinic takes of you, one day for tunnel will shine as bright as it ever has. it has taken me 13 years to actually find a doctor that has helped me with my mental health illness, and if this is to be taken away, i may as not be here.
Perhaps the assumption is that the patients involved are least able to fight back and are a self eliminating population (suicide) so the clinic can be axed quietly with little risk of repercussions.However with WHO predicting that by 2020,depression will be in 2nd place in terms of global burden of disease, the NHS needs to be increasing it's capacity in this area not reducing it.A short sighted loss of experienced and valued clinicians to save money with disregard to the longer term cost to individual patients and society in general.If you haven't experienced depression ignorance may be blliss but axing help for others is inexcusable.
This is nuts! I don't know anyone else who is doing research in depression or DBS in the UK? What kind of joke decision was this? Just goes to show how people have no idea how vicious depression is.
Yours
AB
As a junior doctor in psychiatry i was also very dissapointed to think this clinic would be stopped in such a manner. In addition to the obvious life changing benefit to patients in the local area, specialist clinics like this provide a fantastic training opportunity for the consultant psychiatrists of the future. We need such training in order to care for our patients in the best possible way in years to come. To loose such a highly specialized clinic with world class and inspiring expertise is a huge loss to local psychiatry training in the South West. I would strongly urge those who have made this decision to think again.
It can be a good healing. It is effective as i can see.
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