Reviews (58)

Wrong diagnosis

Outpatients
January 29, 2019
Daughter has psychotic episodes. Mental health team said that she requires treatment/medication which now appears she shouldn't have had. Now looks as though psychotic episodes might have been down to a reaction to a vaccine she received at school.
Now having no drugs and she is doing well.
Daughter never had a proper assessment.
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Thank you for your feedback in regard to the advice and guidance provided by Forward Thinking Birmingham. I am sorry to hear that you have had a poor experience with Forward Thinking Birmingham.

Please feel free to contact our Patient Advisory and Liaison Service (PALS) team on 0121 333 8403 or alternatively you can email on bwc.pals@nhs.net who will be happy to raise your concerns and help find a resolution for you. PALS can escalate your concerns to a clinical lead or centre manager, or governance lead from Forward Thinking Birmingham who can then investigate and respond to you.


Provider responded

Stressful experience

December 17, 2018
My daughter is bipolar. She was diagnosed when she was 15 and was previously under the care of CAMHS. When she got under the care of FTB aged 18 her health condition went seriously down. The consultant at FTB has tried to cut off her medication just talking to me without even discussing this with my daughter. The 3rd time my daughter saw the consultant he asked her before she even managed to sit down “have you got to grips with your drinking problem”. My daughter hasn’t ever got a drinking problem so the consultant completely got her mixed with someone else. He also diagnosed my daughter to have an attachment disorder, but didn’t give any information on this. Instead he just told her to google it! he also did this when the door to the waiting room was open too there was no privacy. He has used phrases like “before you go into your own world”. As a result my daughter does not want to see him at all. He is just looking at his computer and not getting to know my daughter at all. She is not being listened to at all! my daughter has been disgusted at her treatment.
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

I am so sorry to hear that your daughters experience has been like this and that she no longer wants to see her consultant. I would be very keen to find out more specific detail from you and your daughter. We will then liaise with FTB on your behalf to highlight your experience to them. FTB would like to know the details so they can take appropriate actions, to ensure any necessary improvements are made. I would encourage you to get in touch with me via the PALs team (Patient Advice & Liaison) on 0121 333 8403 or bwc.pals@nhs.net. As your daughter is over 18 years if age we would also need her consent. I look forward to hearing from you, Rachel Evitts-Patient Experience Sister


Provider responded

poor communication caused more stress

November 22, 2018
was on a section 3, mid-September and currently under a 117 under home treatment team forward thinking Birmingham. my son was given a botched up sick note dates were totally wrong. Caused more stress to him. Tried to get hold of them no joy tried to go through Finch Rd left a message for someone to contact also my sons support worker from Mind also tried and was not contacted back, he also is supposed to have a care co-ordinator by now was suppose to come out weeks ago and never turned up
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Please accept my apologies for the delayed reply to you. I am sorry to hear that this was the experience for you and your son. If you would like us to look into the events in more detail and to be able to share specific details with FTB, please do let us know. I would be keen to speak to you to find out more details and can be contacted via the PALs team (Patient Advice & Liaison) on 0121 333 8403 or bwc.pals@nhs.net. I look forward to hearing from you, Rachel Evitts- Patient Experience Sister


Provider responded

waiting times for mental health patients

November 19, 2018
Waiting times, for children with mental health problems.
Would like more of the Pause Drop In Services around Birmingham
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I am pleased to hear that you have found the PAUSE service to be useful. We have shared your feedback with FTB so they can consider your request for expansion of the service across Birmingham. Kind Regards, Rachel Evitts - Patient Experience Sister


Provider responded

The service have completely let her down.

November 15, 2018
My daughter who has learning disabilities and autism was transferred to Oaklands in August 2018. Since then, her mental health has deteriorated really badly. I feel like she is slipping away – I can’t recognise my daughter anymore.
My daughter is very vulnerable and I feel like should be involved in her care but I am not allowed to. Forward thinking have diagnosed her with chronic paranoid schizophrenia and I don’t agree with this. Since she has been with FTB her medication has been completely changed- her medication should have never been changed. FTB are also letting her own medication, but this is putting her at risk. When her mental health deteriorates I am worried she can be overdosing. I don’t think she is safe! She has had about 7 different diagnosis with constantly changing medication. I feel like her current medication is causing all these additional mental health issues with her. FTB are also thinking of putting her into respite but I don’t think that currently she will be safe. She should be admitted to hospital. FTB are not giving her anything to occupy her – not peer support or activities. She needs intense therapy and she is not getting it.
I feel the service have completely let her down.
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Firstly I would like to apologise for the delay in replying to you. I am so sad to hear that your daughter's health has deteriorated. I would encourage you to get in touch with me via the PALs team (Patient Advice & Liaison) on 0121 333 8403 or bwc.pals@nhs.net If you are able to share more specific details with me/PALs then we can look at how we can support or advise you to take things forward. I look forward to hearing from you, Kindest Regards Rachel Evitts - Patient Experience Sister


Provider responded

There is something wrong with the system

October 9, 2018
My 7 years old son is autistic and needs help for anxiety. He was referred to forward thinking Birmingham by his special needs school paediatrician. However when we had the appointment at FTB they didn’t do anything. They just referred my son back to school paediatrician. All I wanted was a referral to occupational therapist. My son needs help with his anxiety before it develops into something worse. It’s now been one year and he hasn’t received any help. In the end I just gave up there is something wrong with the system.
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Thank you for taking the time to share your comment. I am sad to hear that you felt there was no option other than to give up. I would be keen to help you further and would encourage you to contact the PALs team, (Patient Advice & Liaison Service) on 0121 333 8403 or bwc.pals@nhs.net If you can share more details with us, via this route, we can then look to see how we can help you get the support your son needs. Best Wishes.


Provider responded

No communication .don't listen to the family

August 21, 2018
3 years since my son started his mental health journey. 3 years of him being let down .not listened too .wasted opportunitys when he had insight .change of doctors all the time .keep giving anti psychotic meds when he is medication resistant no specialist care just won't refer him. awful service from forwardthinking birmingham. They just give lip service .apart from the odd nurse I wonder why they are in this job .
Consiglia

Still waiting for an appointment

June 25, 2018
I did a self referral in February and heard back within a few weeks that I was on the waiting list for an appointment. It is now June and haven't heard anything further
Anonymous

How do you access help in an emergency?

January 26, 2018
My experience was horrible. You wait two months for appointments - how are you meant to access quick help when appointments are not regular? How can you have a diagnosis and then be told it isn’t right but still not get the right support even on medication? If it isn’t working you still have to wait two months plus to ask for different medication or help to solve the problem.

If I’m having a bad day I can’t wait to be seen. Where do I go in an emergency? I’ve called them in an emergency and they say there’s no doctors and they don’t give me other places to go. I don’t like my male doctor but if I want another male doctor I need to travel all the way to Longbridge.

I didn’t get any help filling in the personal income payments (PIP) form even though I am autistic. I asked my Mental Health Team to refer me to anger management – they didn’t. Mental Health told me I needed a social worker but I’ve never had any contact since.
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Sorry to hear that you feel you haven't been able to access support quickly. We do operate a duty system in our community hubs so that you can access urgent support in between appointments should you need it. We also have a Crisis team, which you can contact if you are experiencing a mental health emergency - they can be contacted via our main telephone number 0300 300 0099.

If you would like us to look into your experiences in more detail, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0121 333 8403 or bwc.pals@nhs.net.


Provider responded

Worse since change over

July 3, 2017
can't access information
Anonymous

Reply from Forward Thinking Birmingham

Thank you for your feedback on our service. It's a shame that you don't feel you've been able to access information and we'd like to try and resolve this if possible. If you could contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service with more information about the issues you've experienced, we'll take a look into this for you. The team can be contacted on 0121 333 8403 or bwc.pals@nhs.net.


Provider responded

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Forward Thinking Birmingham

Mental health services for 0 - 25-year-olds

Contact

0300 300 0099

Access Centre 5th Floor
1 Printing House Street,
Birmingham
West Midlands
B4 6DF

Location

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