The Bridge

The Bridge 2022-09-08 Person 1 5 0

I was referred by my GP after privately funded therapy had stopped providing benefit. I was diagnosed with GAD with OCD tendencies and was really struggling. I tried the prescribed antidepressants for 6 months and was suffering terrible side effects so had to discontinue using them. On communicating this to the psychiatrist, I was immediately discharged from her care without notice, which, given my history (which she was aware of), I felt extremely vulnerable, like I’d been neglected. I was then referred to a psychologist (trainee) at The Bridge, and he kept cancelling sessions without notice. I also never felt particularly comfortable with him, some of the comments he made really irked me and caused further distress. After one of our sessions, I vomited as I was that stressed. After 3 years of privately funded therapy, this had never happened before. After the way my support from the psychiatrist was abruptly terminated, I could never fully trust the psychologist. I was told that there’s a ‘three strikes and out policy’ here, where patient care is discontinued if there’s a lack of attendance (I personally didn’t miss one single session), so I found it most frustrating to have my sessions cancelled last minute when The Bridge takes this approach with patients cancelling. Rather frustratingly, I was sent a patient feedback form asking me to review the care received from the psychiatrist, but this was filled in and returned before my care was abruptly terminated. If I’d have filled it in after that, my feedback would have been very different. I also had to chase the psychiatrist up multiple times with regards to a diagnosis letter being sent to my GP. Then when it was sent, there were mistakes in it (the GAD was included but not the OCD tendencies). When I spotted this, reception staff were very unhappy to have to redo the letter, even though the mistake was through no fault of my own. I was also referred for CBT which I found useless. I still have mental health issues and the psychiatrist didn’t seem to know which therapy was suitable. I just don’t feel like there was a reasonable level of care at all. There should at least be a follow up 6 to 12 months after care has been terminated, but this is something that’s implemented. I truly feel I would have been better without the involvement of The Bridge, as the neglect was highly triggering.

The Bridge 2019-12-31 Person 1 5 0

I was referred by my GP after my depression and anxiety became critical and I was suicidal. I saw my GP at the end of October 2018. I had my initial assessment at The Bridge on 21st December 2018. After the assessment I was referred to Talking Therapies for CBT. I had an assessment with Talking Therapies in March 2019. They decided that because I was suicidal that I was too acute to be treated by them so was referred back to the original team at The Bridge. It was then June before I was given another appointment, this time with a psychologist, after which she decided that CBT would still be the best treatment but that it would be delivered through a different team (not Talking Therapies) but that there would be a longer wait of up to two months. When I had not heard anything by September I asked for another appointment with the psychologist at which I asked for some other form of support while I was waiting for the CBT and inquired about getting a Support Time Recovery Worker. The psychologist didn't agree but reluctantly referred me (even though it was actually open to self-referral). In November I was called for another meeting with the psychologist who informed me that as I was now homeless (My one year at the refuge I had been staying in was up) that I wasn't in a stable enough position for CBT to be effective and as they had no other treatment available, they wanted to discharge me, suggesting I contact MIND and if, after 12 sessions of counselling with them, I could ask my GP to be referred back to the Bridge. I said I did not accept that and requested a second opinion. I was then given an appointment with the original psychiatrist and the team manager who the psychologist had told me made the decision. I turned down that appointment and reiterated that I wanted a second opinion, not the same opinion again. I contacted PALS as well who merely forwarded my email (which was confidential) back to The Bridge. I have been given another appointment with a different psychologist but the same manager. Additionally I found the reception staff, distant, and condescending, unhelpful and uninformed, sending my back and forth to different buildings looking for where my appointment was and telling me to "not to worry"! Over 12 months with no help and just added stress.