Yes
a thousand times yes to this. I lived with a friend for 3 years who had fairly major depression and the mental health provision was shocking. Appointments were weeks in advance, miles away and half the time the nurse was late or didn't turn up at all. Apparently the waiting time for CBT here in Brighton is 4 years. 4 YEARS?! If that was for surgery there would be uproar! CBT seemed to be the only viable option left for my friend too, as she was on third line medication and had been hospitalised twice between the ages of 15 and 21. At 21, to be told you're probably going to feel like shit for the rest of your life and there's bugger all anyone can do about it is horrific. She worked for the NHS as a health care assistant and that was a scandal too - she was fit to work, but not quite full time or night shifts and would need the occasional day off when she just didn't feel up to it. She wanted to work and was technically allowed to work but the compromises needed to allow her to work meant her working caused problems for her employers - the NHS! Who were the people not treating her! It was ridiculous. You have my utmost sympathies. This country needs to get its healthcare priorites straight.
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 11:35, Reply)