experiencing anxiety and self-harm issues etc. This took 3 months to process. When I finally got a response, standard letter they told me that I could take my son to place without appointment. Nobody from Forward Thinking Birmingham made an appointment to assess my sons mental health/anxiety issues. My son is still experiencing severe anxiety and is left without any help. I do not think child mental health is taken seriously, you are fobbed off, long waiting list, or referred to inappropriate service.
Response from Patient Experience Facilitator, Forward Thinking Birmingham
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We are sorry that you are unhappy with the advice you have received about your child. Please be assured that Mental Health services for our young people are a top priority for Forward Thinking Birmingham, and we are sorry that this was not your experience. If you wish to discuss this further, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) via email on bwc.pals@nhs.net or by telephone on 0121 333 8403. Best wishes, Patient Experience Team.
weeks to get to see anyone and I was already in a worse state and had lost 4kg. When I was I was basically just told to come back when I had lost more. Ended up going in to the children’s hospital cos of fainting and low blood sugar. I was told if I got the tube horrific stories about Ed units that I would go to . Couldn’t eat too anxious and no support so got the tube and went to Ed unit, go some help. Now I’m back out with no support and sometimes I struggle and I have missed education I shouldn’t have missed due to this device awful incompetence and staff that gave me drugs to send me to sleep, rather than anxiety drugs that other doctors at Birmingham children’s provided.
Medical Director are completely inadequate. The support, medical insight and experience is poor. I received a letter about diagnosis and they haven't completely written down my full condition. I saw a medical professional there who was not aware of my condition or history. I said I have autism and the professional was surprised. There is no transparency over who has which roles there. They don't read the notes ever. I keep saying 'Have you read the notes' and answer 'No.'
One merit is the Medical Director - I met him after attempted suicide. Very good for a few months. He questioned the medication I had been prescribed there. Told me really glad I didn't take what I had been given, if I had taken the flattening medication I probably wouldn't be here.
Response from Patient Experience Sister, Forward Thinking Birmingham
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I am sorry to hear that your experience was poor and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this in more detail with you. If you would be happy to, please contact the PALs team (Patient Advice & Liaison) on 0121 333 8403 or at bwc.pals@nhs.net
We can then understand more about your experiences and share that with Forward Thinking Birmingham, who are keen to investigate further.
My son was referred to Forward Thinking Birmingham due to experiencing anxiety and self-harm issues etc. This took 3 months to process. When I finally got a response, standard letter...
