PIP and lack of current treatment

Due to mental health issues, last year I was referred for further CBT however, after several sessions with psychologist it was felt further CBT would not benefit me as 7 previous attempts at therapy failed to improve things and my avoidance of change, in their words, is too much of a barrier for me to overcome.

Since then my care co-ordinator met with the team to ask if any other therapy can be offered but the conclusion was that I am not emotionally equipped to deal with therapy. Therefore, nothing else can be done to help me and I have been discharged from the mental health service I have been regularly attending. I feel abandoned!

However, my concern is that when PIP undertake a review I may not be having any input from mental health services therefore I will have no care co-ordinator or care plan. Without a current care plan or treatment, how can I make DWP understand that my mental health condition hasn’t responded to treatment and still affects daily living and mobility activities to the same extent? I am very worried about this.

Hello phidgity,
Join the club of CMHT rejects! You are far from an isolated case.
Sorry you have been discharged & feel abandoned by CMHT. Its what they do & try to blame you for non-compliance rather than tell the truth & say they have no money or competence to treat you. CMHT no longer offer psychotherapy to address deeper issues. There is mounting evidence that CBT has no long term efficacy & is not the wonder cure it is claimed to be, especially by inexperienced counsellors.
You can access meaningful support & counselling from MIND (quality varies, you CAN ask for an experienced counsellor), or online support organisations such as The Survivors Trust or NAPAC. Or like many of us enter the minefield of BACP registered private counsellors (be sure to ask exactly how many clients they have worked with for your problem). They may be able to provide evidence for PIP.
I used to find it helpful to go out with the Conservation Volunteers when I could manage,or MIND might have an allotment group or games afternoon? AGE UK might help if you are over 50. Just some kind of activity you enjoy with others.

If you feel CMHT has withdrawn your support via the care coordinator without proper review of the effect on you this would have & has not taken account of your views or the NICE treatment pathway (eg not to suddenly withdraw contact for someone with a personality disorder), you can complain. There are advocacy services (usually People First) who can help with this.The point of this charade is to hold them accountable & get hold of your records which are otherwise almost impossible to access.
The CMHT have to release your Mental Health Notes to the advocate for this WHICH YOU CAN THEN USE FOR PIP evidence!! Can take upto 40 days & cost upto £50.
Or you can simply try contacting your care coordinator & ask to view your notes with them. They may allow you to photocopy relevant bits if they are sympathetic.
Hope this is of help.
Fight the B*******!!
Susie

Hello Susie,

Thank you for responding. I feel very let down by CMHT. I've been in the MH system for over a decade. Since being referred to this CMHT I've been messed around. They refused me EMDR which had been suggested some years ago elsewhere to address trauma with the excuse it would be too much for me but I think it's because EMDR is expensive.

In the 2 years I've been using this service I've been caught up in a never ending loop of assessments but received no actual treatment apart from medication. I agree with you when you say there is evidence CBT has no long term effect as in the past any small improvement I made was short lived and I have soon found myself back to where I was or actually feeling worse for it.

Yes, psychologist did try to blame on me in a "poetic licence way" saying I cannot make changes necessary to make CBT work. I thought that was their job? So, I have written a letter to psychologist, which I've asked her to put on record, saying I'm not to blame and pointing out why.

When I became aware of the way things were heading i.e., to a dead end, I applied for copies of information CMHT holds on me. I have a week or so to wait before 40 days are up. Like you say, I am hoping there will be evidence that I might be useful for DWP reviews. My care co-ordinator said she would write to my GP explaining my circumstances and that no further treatment can be offered at this time.

I am worried because I was promised a review with psychiatrist but even this is not going to happen now and when I asked care co-ordinator she said medication will be down to my GP. I think I will write to my co-ordinator pointing out that I feel abandoned and consider I need support but I don't expect it will get me anywhere.

Your advice is very helpful in respect of where to turn to next. And, I will try to find information on NICE regarding withdrawing support because I did tell them I was very worried about being left with no support.

Best wishes
Phidgity

Hello phidgity,
Just to let you know I had the 'miracle cure' EMDR : it comprised of a counselling psychologist with one year's experience waving her finger from side to side & making feeble & derisory attempts to 'desensitize me' by telling me what a nice little girl I was. Desensitize me from what? No one had carried out a competent assessment. Talk about Pandora's Box.It led to a complete breakdown, horrendous self harm, suicide attempts & many hospital admissions. I lost my job & partner. CMHT then discharged me as' too distressed for therapy' with no care plan CPN or any support whatsoever. Fortunately I had a supportive GP & MH advocate & was lucky enough to see a very experienced counsellor at MIND. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has recently advised this therapy may be harmful & is to be used with great care for single remembered trauma events. Bit late for me. It took 4 years hard work in counselling to find out what the matter was.

I've recently found a book which was a revelation to me Pete Walker "Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving". From Amazon or it might be in the library in the Well Read Health section.I really recommend it.
Talking to experienced psychotherapists on the National Assoc of People Abused in Childhood helpline when I have been in crisis has saved my life, what there is of it.

Like you I am terrified of not having enough medical evidence to support the endless ESA & PIP assessments. I am so scared to discover that GP's are being told by their local commitees not to produce letters anymore as it is too time consuming. I had to beg my GP for a PIP report & letter to verify why I was unable to cope with a F2F. I couldn't even manage the PIP1 phone call even with someone talking for me. All the mental health advocates have been cut except for NHS complaints.
I'm very frightened that my GP will now not help with the proposed WRA 'chat' proposed in the Green Paper or provide significant harm evidence for the next ESA assessment. GP's provide travel & health assessment reports for insurance; how can they refuse letters(even charged for) that verify that the assessment procedure causes me substantial physical & mental harm from which I have not recovered. They have a duty of care.
My main issue with life is benefits shaming & discrimination. I cannot hope to manage my health problems & keep stable under this level of oppression. Does anyone even care?
Off to reread Pete Walker's chapter on Toxic Shame & Soul Murder. Waiting for my first barn swallow: spring will come & the grass will grow by its self.
Keep safe Susie