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Care Opinion

Mental Health Services Carrick on Shannon

Posted By Brave Face

"Mental Health Services Carrick on Shannon"

About: Sligo/Leitrim Mental Health Services

(as a service user),

At the start of the Pandemic all appointments were switched to phone appointments. This was completely understandable and out of everyone's control. Recently my mental health has been at its lowest and I desperately needed help and thought it would be helpful if I received a face to face appointment but I was refused numerous times. I felt unwanted by the services. 

At this point it is getting frustrating to still be told this. Things are starting to open back up and the vaccination programme is well underway but we are still being told that appointments with the Psyychiatrist will be over the phone and there are no plans to change this. I just don't see where the risk is at this point, these appointments should be eased back. These appointments save people's life but feels like professionals are forgetting their duty of care.
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Responses

Response from Martin Jones, Alcohol & Substance Misuse Service Manager, Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive 2 years ago
Martin Jones
Alcohol & Substance Misuse Service Manager, Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services,
Health Service Executive

Manage the Sligo / Leitrim Alcohol & Substance Misuse Service

Submitted on 01/06/2021 at 15:14
Published on Care Opinion at 15:14

picture of Martin Jones

Dear Brave Face,

I am sorry to hear that you were disappointed with not receiving a face to face appointment when you had asked for this. Of course during the pandemic, and as you point out, we have had to offer services in different ways including appointments by telephone in order to reduce the risk of the virus to staff and patients. Some services have also been offered by a video (Virtual Health) as an alternative to a face to face appointment. I have highlighted your story to the mental health team looking after you, and they will be considering how they will offer their appointments as restrictions ease going forward with this in mind. I hope this is of some help and we would hope to post any further changes as they develop.

With Best Wishes,

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Response from Denis O'Brien, Assistant Director of Nursing & Leitrim Community Mental Health Team Co-ordinator, Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services 2 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Denis O'Brien
Assistant Director of Nursing & Leitrim Community Mental Health Team Co-ordinator,
Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services

Service Manager who also Coordinates the South Leitrim and North Leitrim Community Mental Health Teams

Submitted on 09/06/2021 at 15:59
Published on Care Opinion on 14/06/2021 at 07:40

Dear Brave Face,

Thank you for sharing your experience of telephone appointments with your Psychiatrist. I will bring this to the attention of the Consultant Psychiatrist and Community Mental Health Team.

Although we have been using phone appointments for our clinic we have also used a small number of face to face consultations throughout the pandemic. This was in accordance with the COVID-19 Guidelines which we were asked to implement.

As you quite rightly point out, with the vaccination programme well underway, we are now easing back to more face to face appointments. Our Community Mental Health Team has only recently completed their vaccinations which has been a factor with regard to remote consultations. We will continue to offer a choice of telephone or face to face appointments to service users as the level of vaccinations may differ from person to person and in some cases people may feel safer and less at risk speaking over the phone.

As future appointments are scheduled everyone will receive a letter asking them for their preference of either telephone or a face to face consultation.

Once again thank you for taking the time to highlight this important issue.

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