My medical records, disclosed by Southern Health on the 15th June, 2022, had revealed a murder of co-conspirators engaged in stratagems motivated by a wish to avoid professional culpability and so frame a false narrative. I had been appalled to read an entry by CMHT Meadows Service Manager, Vicky Long, made shortly after my second mental health assessment in April. Vicky Long instructed my assessor, Laura Jones, to reach out to CAMHS, Brambly’s Drive to inform them that I was ‘still fixated’ on Art Therapist, Sally Mungall. I was NOT ‘fixated’. I had been psychologically damaged as a result of inappropriate therapy and confused by Wanda Reynolds management of the situation. I wrote to Wanda Reynolds to tell her that I objected to Vicky Long’s continued involvement in my complaint. I could no longer trust her.

I was, however, forced to work with Vicky Long while I continued advocating on behalf of Meg. I wasn’t happy at the slow progress in delivering the appropriate clinical therapy for my daughter.

I had wrongly assumed that Meg had been referred to CMHT the same day as me on the 13th January but it later transpired that CAMHS hadn’t actually made the referral until March 2022       ( over a year after their first opportunity to follow NICE guidelines and make preparations for Meg’s transition from Child to Adult services! )

From: Mark Stock ******************** Sent: 01 July 2022 14:03To: Long, Vicky ******************************** Subject: RE: Your case reference: *******

…I want to take this opportunity to remind you that my daughter, Meg, was referred to the CMHT Bridge Centre at the same time as me ( 13th January 2022 ) as part of the transition from Camhs. I have been Meg’s main carer for the last 15 years and continue in the role to this present day. The second most significant contributing stressor towards my suicidal ideation, behind my complex ptsd, is carer burnout. Meg had an appointment with Dr Bijaya Gurung this morning and was dispatched with a prescription and asked to return on 19August. Another 7 weeks of kicking the can down the road!! Meg had attended a previous appointment with Dr Gurung  several weeks ago and had asked for information regarding availability of psychotherapies to help with her debilitating OCD. Dr Gurung assured Meg that planning was in place to deliver such psychotherapy. Meg asked again this morning about availability of psychotherapy and was told, with infuriating vagueness, that ‘things had come up’ and that they were no closer to offering appropriate psychotherapy. She was, instead, palmed off with another prescription and given a new appointment to talk with Dr Gurung in 7 weeks’ time. That will make it 7 MONTHS without appropriate intervention. 7 MONTHS UNACCEPTABLE WAITING for appropriate clinical intervention while my own mental health deteriorates! Meg remains bed bound, has not washed, bathed or showered in 7 months nor washed her hair since late 2021. She brushes her teeth roughly every three to four weeks and is ******************************* She is socially isolated, is unable to attend further education or consider any form of employment. Meg is an otherwise bright and intelligent girl with huge talent and potential and yet she is barely functioning due to high medication, instead festering in bed, feeling ‘sad’ and ‘depressed’. Not only have you failed me but you are continuing to fail my daughter. I expect to continue as Meg’s main carer for the foreseeable future and need to oversee her communication with yourselves. Is there a direct point of contact that you could pass on to me, Vicky. Can you tell me who the much promised care-coordinator is and when we can expect them to assume responsibility?

Regards,

Vicky Long replied later the same day.

1ST JULY 2022

Dear Mark,

Megan has been allocated a care coordinator (Wayne Lewis) in the last few days who will be contacting her to arrange an introductory visit and can look at Megan’s needs in more detail.

I have copied in the Patient Experience Team Mark as I think its important we separate your complaint regarding your experiences in your own right as a patient and that of Megan’s needs and your role as a carer. I think this is is very important going forward that Megan’s Care team focus on Megan and her needs and give you a support as a carer. The team are aware of your needs as a carer and will contact you to offer you up to 3 sessions of carer support and signposting.  

I will make Wayne and Dr Gurung aware that you are unhappy with the OPA outcome for Megan.  

Thank you

Kind Regards

Vicky Long

Meadows CMHT Service Manager

Community Mental Health Team

Meg had moved back to the family home but I continued with my responsibilities as her main carer, visiting her from early morning until late afternoon.

There was still no signposting to psychotherapy for Meg by mid-July, 2022 and so I made the first of what would be many formal complaints against CMHT The Bridge Centre. Vicky Long responded by email on the 14th July.

‘Dear Mark,

Thank you for your email. My apologies for the delay in responding and I am sorry you feeling disappointed with the care Megan is receiving. I have forwarded your email to the Complaints Team so that this concern can be looked at within the Southern health process and that responses can be kept in line with this timescale. I will look to contact Megan to understand her views about her care and how I can help any concerns she has.

Whilst I was on leave last week, Wayne did contact Megan and arrange a home visit with her for Monday.  I understand Wayne was not aware that Megan was not living with you so they visited your home. I am confident Wayne has made further arrangements to meet with Megan and I am pleased to see you have met Nick, our carers peer support worker and you will be completing a carers communication plan together.

I do appreciate that your complaint to CAMHS also relates to Megan and it is interconnected. I can only imagine the distress and challenging journey this is and I hope you have now started counselling with Basingstoke Counselling service.

Kind Regards

Vicky Long

Meadows CMHT Service Manager

Community Mental Health Team'

My complaints were not taken seriously. In the meantime Meg was allocated ‘care-coordinator’, Wayne Lewis.

‘Care co-ordinators help to co-ordinate and navigate care across the health and care system, helping people make the right connections, with the right teams at the right time. They can support people to become more active in their own health and care and are skilled in assessing people’s changing needs. Care co-ordinators are effective in bringing together multidisciplinary teams to support people’s complex health and care needs.’ - https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/workforce-and-training/care-co-ordinators/

We later dubbed Meg’s care-coordinator, ‘Wayne Useless’. Further complaints by me led to Wayne being temporarily ‘shadowed’ by more experienced clinicians within CMHT.

It would eventually take CMHT The Bridge Centre until the end of 2022 before they allocated a psychotherapist to Meg. She didn’t actually meet Exposure and Response Prevention ( ERP ) specialist therapist, Serena, until January, 2023!