I asked for help at 10am, got a reply at 3.10pm saying ‘busy today’..then I ended up on the motorway bridge
Mum reveals she has tried to take her own life over 40 times as she accuses health board over lack of support
A rApe victim who tried to take her own life more than 40 times believes a lack of support from her local health board has put her life at risk.
Eilidh McCall, 32, attends counselling once a week but says when she is at crisis point there is often no one available to help her and she has had to rely on the police.
The mum of one from Falkirk revealed she has often been unable to access a counsellor when she has been at her lowest point due the lack of cover in the evening and at weekends and strict rules at her support group.
And after the Daily Record contacted her local health board to raise her concerns, Eildih says she was “kicked out” of the counselling sessions altogether.
The latest mental health concerns at NHS Forth Valley follow yesterday’s revelations from a whistleblower about the death of a patient who was allegedly over sedated.
Jake Llewellyn’s death in Forth Valley Royal Hospital is being probed by police.
A whistleblower within the health board’s mental health services says a “toxic” culture at the hospital has led to deaths of vulnerable patients who have been turned away.
Last night, Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “This approach to mental health care is something you would expect to find in the pages of a Dickens novel.
“That somebody facing the worst imaginable personal crisis is actively punished via the terms of some draconian agreement beggars belief. The health board must investigate this in its entirety.”
Eilidh attended Woodlands Resource Centre in Falkirk once a week, where she was on a lifeline behavioural therapy course.
She said that instances of an attempt on your life, contact with the police or self harm restrict access to a counsellor as part of the rules. Although patients should always be able to contact a therapist for help, Eilidh said sometimes they are not available and there is little cover outwith office hours.
She told how on one occasion she called looking for help at 10am to tell her counsellor she was really struggling. She said: “I said,
‘Nothing is working, I need help’. At 3.10 in the afternoon, I got a reply saying, ‘Busy today, I will try to call you tomorrow’, but by that point I was already up to high doh.
“I went to the gym to distract myself a wee bit but got really triggered and ended up on the motorway bridge.”
Police officers spent two hours talking Eilidh down.
She was exhausted and in a highly agitated state. But when they phoned the mental health team at Forth Valley Hospital, they were told to take her home where her wife could look after her.
The next day, a Friday, she received a text from her counsellor saying “due to the 24 hour rule and your contact with police, I will call you on Monday”.
She said: “I was still punished even though it was their team who let me down.”
Eilidh, who was raped by someone she worked with, said she has often leaned on the police in her time of need.
To date, her wife Erin has had to call the police more than 40 times because she feared her life wasn’t safe.
Very often, officers have tracked her down in the nick of time.
But on most occasions, when police officers have taken her to hospital, she has been turned away.
On one occasion, police were so concerned about her that when she was turned away from hospital, they arranged a cell at the police station to keep her safe.
Erin said: “If it wasn’t for Police Scotland, Eilidh would not be here.
“It is difficult to know what to do. How do I keep her safe? Do I lock her in the house?”
She added: “Eilidh was taken to hospital one night by two police officers and they were reprimanded by staff for not calling first. They told them to
I was punished even though it was their team who let me down
EILIDH MCCALL ON HOW NHS HANDLED HER DISTRESS CALL
take Eilidh back to the police van in the car park and call the hospital from there.
“They waited an hour and a half for someone to call them back and when they did, they were told to take her home.
Eilidh said: “The officers at Police Scotland are phenomenal. I always say sorry because I know they have better things to do. But they say, ‘It is not you, we just want them to take responsibility and help you’.
“Police are doing everything they can, more than their job is. But mental health services are failing everybody.
“There needs to be a change in how people like me are treated. For me, when crisis happens, I just don’t want to do this any more. I don’t want to feel this much emotional or physical pain any more.
“It is not a game. This is my life. A lot of my crisis is triggered by PTSD symptoms or flashbacks, which is very different from depression.
“When I reach the level where the skills aren’t working, it is hard to describe, it is almost like I am watching it happen as an outsider.
“I am in the danger zone and very out of control emotionally.”
NHS Forth Valley has defended its record and how it works with police.
In a statement, the health board said: “We work very closely with Police Scotland to respond to people in distress and, since 2018, have provided direct access to emergency mental health assessment for people who come into contact with the police.
“This arrangement ensures swift access to advice and emergency assessment without the need for patients and police officers to attend the emergency department. In addition, NHS Forth Valley clinical staff are fully engaged in the work being led by Police Scotland to further enhance the response of police and other emergency services for people experiencing mental health distress.
“All patients who attend hospital and require an emergency psychiatric assessment are seen by mental health clinicians to determine the most appropriate care, support and treatment.
“This includes discussion on the reason for clinical decisions and recommended treatment and the opportunity to talk through any issues or concerns
“Every effort is made to ensure patients engage with the agreed treatment plan, however, some patients may choose not to be admitted to an inpatient mental health ward, leave hospital after admission or not attend followup appointments.
“We would encourage anyone who is unhappy with any aspect of their care and treatment to get in touch with our Patient Relations Team.
“This enables us to carry out a detailed investigation into any concerns, discuss issues directly with the staff involved in their care and provide direct feedback to individuals and their family.”