‘Mental health services in the city are failing people like me’

WOMAN WHO LOST HER SON DURING CHILDBIRTH CALLS FOR IMPROVEMENTS

A GRIEVING Hull woman who has battled with her mental health since her teenage years has made calls for help and better mental health care in the city.

Victoria Beadle, 38, has been receiving mental health treatment for the past 24 years and has been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Ms Beadle lost her son during birth 16 years ago, and her father and brother, who she loved dearly, have also died. She has tried to take her own life in the past and also self-harms.

Now she is bravely speaking out in the hope that others going through a similar ordeal do not feel alone and the authorities responsible for mental health care listen to her fears.

The mum-of-two says that her mental health issues began in her teenage years after she went into care and suffered the loss of her father.

Tragically, in her early twenties she suffered the loss of her baby boy. Unable to cope, her mental health deteriorated further as she battled PTSD.

“I’ve had a rough childhood and went in to care at the age of 15,” said Ms Beadle.

“My dad died and I lost my brother, who tragically died in prison. My mum also had a stroke and that made my problems even worse.

“I’m also a grieving mother as I lost my son during childbirth – he was meant to be 16 this year and I can’t get over losing him.

“The mental health services in Hull are completely failing.

“I have been found dangling off a bridge by police who then took me to Miranda House, but they told me that I was not a priority and released me, and I went and took a load of pills.

“I had to wait four months, from May to September, before anyone would help me as I didn’t get a care worker for that time period.

“I truly believe if I was physically ill, I would have seen a staff member – it’s appalling.”

Ms Beadle wants a better service to her and for others who are going through the same problems she is facing.

She said: “I feel like I’ve just had the door shut in my face.

“I’ve had 30 workers there and there is just no consistency or continuity of support and I have to tell my story over and over again to different people and it’s just not right.

“I just feel passed from pillar to post and that they lack empathy there.

“I speak to a lady from the Together Women Project and I don’t know what I’d do without her – I’d probably be dead. She is absolutely worth her weight in gold.

“Every scar on my body tells a story and I’m now not ashamed to speak out – I just want there to be more help out there for people going through what I’m going through.”

Miranda House, in Gladstone Street, is run by Humber NHS Foundation Trust and is home to a psychiatric care and assessment unit.

The centre used to be rated as “good” but was labelled as “requires improvement” by the Care Quality Commission in January.

According to inspectors, rapid response and crisis services for mental health patients are not up to standard at Miranda House, with rooms not being maintained properly, and some chairs in safety rooms were described as being “soiled and required cleaning” by the CQC.

Commenting on Ms Beadle’s case, a spokesman from Humber NHS Foundation Trust said: “The trust is very disappointed to hear that any patient is not satisfied with their care.

“We are committed to listening to anyone who has concerns and to address and learn from these. We would be very happy to meet with Victoria to do so and we can be contacted via our Complaints and PALS Service on 01482 303930 or via email at hnf-tr. complaints@nhs.net”