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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.