Luton and South Bedfordshire Crisis Team

Absolutely joke of a service, supposed to help people more like pushing people to the edge. Supposed to be a help service, a toddler could give better advice and help

Demonstrated a complete lack of care and understanding when it was absolutely essential. Given the nature of the circumstances this was enough to facilitate confirmations of paranoia after a psychotic episode and nearly led to a second attempt on wanting to escape from this life entirely. If it wasn't for friends and a GP speaking on emergency request this service would not have only failed but had a hand in loss of life. This may sound like hyperbole, but I assure you, this is a serious matter and will be escalated.

I was recently diagnosed ADHD through the NHS and was told I would have to wait almost a year to get any medication and start the titration process. I could not believe the poor care they were offering . So I took it upon myself to look for a qualified psychiatrist with years of experience both NHS & Private to see if they could take me through the process of getting the right meds to make my life better and calmer . For over 40 years I was diagnosed with Anxiety & Depression and it was actually ADHD! After doing lots of research, reading reviews, checking the GMC register Dr Iqbal ticked all the boxes . I called the office and explained my situation and Pam explained the process and sent me an Email with details and prices and left it with me to get back to them if I wanted to proceed - no pushy sales pitch. I decided to go ahead and had my first in-depth appointment with Dr Iqbal where we went through my diagnosis, talked in great length about how ADHD affected me And my everyday life as he explained everybody has varying levels and what may effect one person hugely it won’t be the same for everyone . There was no judgement, I was made to feel at ease and my symptoms were understood and I never felt judged. For the first time in many many years I felt like things were going to change for the better and Dr Iqbal was on my side to find the right meds to help . After discussing the options of medication and him explaining the frequency of taking different meds that some were unavailable due to manufacturing problems we decided on Elvance . I had to monitor my blood pressure once starting them, keep records of it and make notes of any side effects and we would discuss the information at my first review . Luckily for me everything went smoothly, I had positive changes and we slowly increased the dose to one that fits me perfectly. My whole thought process is now clearer, I don’t fly off the handle, I’m calmer and I actually think about things now before I speak and can actually decide if saying something is required - rather than throwing everything out there then panicking I’ve offended the room etc. ADHD is a condition that’s manageable with the right help- I just wish I had been diagnosed at 13 when my symptoms first showed not 53!! I have provided my doctor with all the information on Dr Iqbal and My GP is fully on board to do a share cared agreement. Dr Iqbal will continue doing my reviews and my GP will be prescribing the meds. It’s also fantastic to know that I can reach out to Dr Iqbal at anytime if I hit a problem with my meds or with ADHD and I won’t have to wait months or years for an appointment . If you are thinking about getting help with Diagnosis, titration of Medication or mental health help I can honestly say choosing him would be the best move you could make . My family and I have seen a huge difference in me and I have Dr Iqbal to thank for this. Eternally Grateful Michelle R-H Lancashire

I cannot thank the Crisis Team enough for the care and respect I am receiving. All the team members have been so very kind and understanding and respectful. I have been regularly followed up and treated very much as an individual and have felt that all the team members have been easy to talk to. It is helpful that the team have been encouraging me to try to continue my normal activities and have been very flexible which is vital in my recovery at what is a difficult and often scary time in my life.