LETTER FROM MARIA CAULFIELD AND MY RESPONSE
Dear Ms Caulfield
BULLYING AND ORGANISATIONAL ABUSE UNDER MENTAL HEALTH – MY RESPONSE TO YOUR LETTER DATED 21 May 2024
Paragraph 2: “I was sorry to read of Ms Bevis’s mental health issues” No, you have got this wrong! This should read: I was sorry to read of Ms Bevis’s physical health issues that have been ignored by the mental health trust upon our arrival to new area since September 2021 when they insisted on relying on a supposedly “normal” scan done as far back as 2015 which prompted me to have private scans done.
Para 3: “I would like to assure Ms Bevis the Government is committed to expanding and transforming NHS mental health care so more people can get the MH support they need.” I am not assured. What exactly is meant by so more people can get the support they need as this is only drugs people are told they have to take for the rest of their lives which goes against Manufacturer’s instructions.
Para 4. “Our ambition is to increasingly shift mental healthcare towards early intervention and prevention with treatment primarily delivered in the community rather than inpatient units.” also stated is “focus on MH and LD services” BUT what about those without such diagnoses classed as having MH problems when in fact they could have any number of underlying physical health issues yet refused pathological tests like Elizabeth?
Para 5. “Where not possible it is essential that inpatient MH settings meet patients physical as well as mental healthcare needs.” THEY DO NOT! The majority of inpatient settings were not fit for purpose. This is completely the wrong environment for someone with sensory issues. No psychological input is given. Pathological tests such as MRI refused.
Para 6. “The Department recognises those who require inpatient care are treated close to home as possible.” I know of many cases sent a long distance away from home and Elizabeth was sent to Durham. She has just been moved to a 6th institution. This is terrible since she was not even sectioned before we came to this area. She was living peacefully in the community and being slowly reduced off the Clopixol every six weeks since all her conditions were physical which in this “new” area they choose to overlook plus the fact she was compliant with the depot which we could not get up and running since moving here.
Ms Caulfield goes on to excuse targets being missed on Covid. Moving patients out of area had been going on for a long time BEFORE Covid and Elizabeth was sent from London to Wales for 18 months in 2014 so I cannot accept Covid as an excuse.
Para 7:“I would like to assure Ms Bevis we remain committed to eliminating all inappropriate acute out of area placements for adults aged 18 years and over.” I am not assured and also what about out of area community care placements. From one prison to another – DoLs/CTOs being used to bully residents. Carers, parents.
Para 8: Re NR – the system is an absolute joke and something needs to be done about it as Trusts and Councils turn to bullying tactics using threat of costs in secret courts that should be public as this is public money being used in order to achieve their own ends. The MCA and MHA is being abused and so are the most vulnerable patients and their families/carers. The system is not fit for purpose. How can the system be fit for purpose when vulnerable people are held for a lifetime under MH care, detained like restricted prisoners.
Para 9. PALS is recommended by Ms Caulfield. I have featured some of the dismissive responses received through Pals devoid of compassion and empathy. How can Trusts respond to complaints when those at the top are “executive reviewers and specialist advisors for the CQC.” Others are on the Boards of the ICB – talk about conflict of interest. Complaints need to be done completely independently and not by the Trust themselves. There needs to be accountability but there is non.
Para 10: Bullying we have encountered has occurred in both previous and current Trust – the minute you challenge and question this is what you get and it is not just myself – bullying is widespread under NHS and I am in touch with other shocking cases so I know full well the bullying is aimed at any carer who dares to disagree and as for the professional bodies who are supposed to regulate healthcare professionals – their responses have been dismissive and above them Professional Standards Agency have no powers to intervene. Absolutely pointless turning to such organisations who appear to protect their own though I have to say the NMC are supposed to be investigating one or two serious matters brought to their attention. A Doctor’s first priority should be the care of his/her patient but often it is not. When a doctor goes down the legal route powers are used against you as a parent. They try to instigate taking the POA and NR status.
When you get nowhere with the complaints procedures and Ombudsmen try getting legal backing – this virtually impossible and where you come up against a brick wall. Not even advice or backing for high court cases is available. Charities just signpost you and solicitors will say “we do not have capacity for new cases”. Ms Caulfield then goes on in Paragraph 11 to state re “concerns about access to justice and availability of legal aid –I am unable to comment as these are matters for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) contact-moj.service.justice.gov.uk.
Conclusion: Something needs to be done about the MHA and MCA being abused and the professional standards agency have no power to intervene. Complaints need to be dealt with externally NOT by PALS. System and in-house as this is not working.
.
VICTORIA ATKINS
Member of Parliament for Louth and Horncastle VA18567
22 May 2024
Dear Ms Bevis
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about mental health services.
Please see the enclosed correspondence which I have received from Maria Caulfield MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy, in response to enquiries which I have made on your behalf.
I hope you find the response from the Minister helpful.
Yours sincerely
Victoria Atkins
The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP
Member of Parliament for Louth & Horncastle
House of Commons London SW1A 9AA
Tel 020 7219 5897 Email: Victoria@victoriaatkins.org.uk
From Maria Caulfield MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
21 May 2024
Your Ref: VA1508940
PO-1508940
The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP
By email to: Victoria@victoriaatkins.org.uk
Dear Victoria
Thank you for your correspondence of 25 April on behalf of your constituent Ms Susan Bevis about mental health services
I was sorry to read of Ms Bevis’s daughter’s mental health issues and of the experience she describes. I appreciate her concerns about the support available to her daughter and others who have mental health issues. As I am sure she will appreciate, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on individual cases, however I understand how distressing this must be for her and her family.
I would like to assure Ms Bevis that the Government is committed to expanding and transforming NHS mental health services so that more people can get the mental health support that they need, when they need it.
Our ambition is to increasingly shift mental healthcare towards early intervention and prevention, with treatment primarily delivered in the community rather than in inpatient units. This includes increasing the number of personalised care roles, such as peer support workers, with expansion focused on mental health and learning disability services where need is greatest.
Where this is not possible, it is essential that inpatient mental health services meet patients’ physical as well as mental healthcare needs, either through their own appropriately qualified and experienced staff or in partnership with other providers. This requires mental health inpatient staff to be provided with adequate training and guidance on monitoring physical health, and importantly how to escalate and respond to concerns as needed.
The Department recognises that it is important that those who require inpatient care are treated as close to home as possible, which is why we publicly committed to eliminating all inappropriate acute out of area placements by 2020/21. Unfortunately, COVID 19 – related pressures contributed to services missing that target. These pressures were caused by a number of factors, including:
- Bed closures due to the need for infection control;
- Reduced community networks;
- Staff absences; and
- Higher levels of demand for NHS mental health services
However, I would like to assure Ms Bevis that we remain committed to eliminating all inappropriate acute out of area placements for adults aged 18 years and over.
All local health systems that still have inappropriate out of area placements have been required to refresh their plans to ensure these placements are eliminated everywhere as soon as reasonably possible. NHS England continues to work with the worst performing areas in order to support them to improve and we are working with NHS England to ensure that systems prioritise this, including a focus on the discharge process.
If Ms Beviss’ daughter is being detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, her approved mental health professional has to choose who her nearest relative should be as they have certain rights in relation to her care and treatment under the Act. These are set out in the information leaflet, which is available at assets.nhs.uk/prod/documents/mh-cop-nearest-relative.pdf.
The bullying of patients, parents and carers by healthcare professionals is unacceptable. I realise that some people will find reporting such behaviour difficult, but all NHS organisations hve complaints procedures in place. Each Trust has a patient advice and liaison service (PALS) that can help people to raise such issues within the Trust. The contact details for all relevant PALS can be found at www.nhs.uk by searching for PALS.
Bullying behaviour can also be reported to the relevant professional body for regulated healthcare professionals such as doctors, psychiatrists and nursing staff.
I am afraid that I am unable to comment on Ms Bevis’ concerns about access to justice and the availability of legal aid as these are matters for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ.) Contact details for MoJ can be found at contact-moj.service.justice.gov.uk.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Maria
MARIA CAULFIELD MP
Psychiatric Abuse UK 