So called urgency

On Monday Emma saw her gp and they were concerned enough to phone mental Heath services and request an urgent appointment. Half an hour later we got a call from them wanting to know why the doctor had asked them to call.

Eventually got through to them why one was needed and they said they would try and arrange something but it wouldn't be today and might not be this week. Funny idea of urgent. This was in the morning and they said they would call me back shortly. I phone back at ten to five asking what happened to my call back and get told that they have been very busy today with two urgent cases and to be patient. I pointed out that I was one of those cases. Realisation struck and I got told I would definitely get a call back even if it was after working hours.

An hour later I get the call only to be told that they couldn't make an appointment as the relevant person had gone home and they couldn't access their diary. They made a big thing of how they were calling me in their own time and that they would call me first thing in the morning. I bit back saying that mental health isn't just nine to five.

Following day I call them at three to see where my call is. They tell me they've been trying to call me all day to tell me they've made one for Friday at noon. Funny how I have no missed calls and have been at home all day. Fair enough though, they made the appointment.

This morning (day of appointment) I get a call saying the consultant has phoned in sick. Fair enough, I ask if there's another consultant who is covering for them. They tell me they only have one consultant and that there is a doctor covering their emergency appointments but they're on call in Sheppy and covering there too. The earliest appointment they can do is Tuesday afternoon, assuming the consultant is back from being off sick by then. I point out this was supposed to be an urgent appointment and we have already waited for it for five days (I should add that Emma's gp assumed she would be seen same day). I got told that while it was an urgent appointment it wasn't an emergency appointment and it wouldn't be worth seeing the doctor about it and that if there were any emergencies or urgent problems I should contact the relevant people for help. Resigned, I accepted the Tuesday appointment (2pm in case I forget) and hung up.

Although thinking on it further the 'relevant people' I'm supposed to call for help are the ones that just called me telling me they can't help until Tuesday, the doctor who will refer me back to them and the crisis team who Emma hasn't been assigned to so won't do anything other than refer back to the mental health team.