BBC wrong to give impression NHS Mental Health Services fail people in crisis
We are health professionals who are concerned and disappointed about the misrepresentation of Scotland’s NHS Mental Health Services in our media.
There is confusion about emergency mental health care, in particular for people in suicidal crisis, with the 18 weeks waiting time target for access to psychological therapy. This is undermining public trust in the Scottish NHS and can dangerously discourage people in crisis from seeking the appropriate help.
A prime example was the discussion which took place on BBC Scotland’s Debate Night on 9 October. The question from the public, “Suicide rates are increasing in Scotland. Is an 18 weeks referral target adequate for those experiencing mental health problems?” was confusing emergency mental health crisis support with the 18 weeks waiting time for access to psychological therapies.
Christine Jardine MP then gave the example of her husbandmany years ago receiving the indicated crisis support on the same day as attending his GP, and asked: “What would have happened had he to wait 18 weeks for this support?” This creates the impression the present mental health care provided would leave patients in (suicidal) crisis for 18 weeks.
Whilst the questions from the audience demonstrate the level of public confusion, the BBC, however, cannot be excused from doing their homework.
The 18 weeks waiting time target for access to psychological therapies is a completely different issue to crisis support. There is a good clinical reason for the 18-week target. Many psychological/psychiatric problems are “selflimiting” in nature and often resolve within four months without specialist psychological help because people still have supportive social networks, and are genuinely psychologically resilient.
For mental health crisis situations the Scottish NHS has a well functioning and integrated system of support. Eighty per cent of mental health presentations are treated within primary care and community settings. People experiencing suicidal and other mental health crisis can access a number of crisis support systems.
The depiction of our Scottish NHS Mental Health services as failing Scotland’s population is grossly distorted.
The misrepresentation of emergency mental health crisis support is dangerously undermining public trust in Scotland’s NHS and we want the BBC to clarify this.
ULRICH FISCHER Consultant Clinical Psychologist,
AFBPSS (DR) COLIN BROWN, FRCGP
MOHRAG FISCHER, RMN (DR) IAN GRANT, FRCP(ED) Retired Consultant
Intensive Care (DR) CHRIS JOHNSTONE Retired General Practitioner (DR) STEPHEN MCCABE,
FRCGP (DR) PAUL MILLER MBCHB,
MRCGP (DR) ANNE MULLIN FRCGP DR JOHN RILEY
Physicist (DR) MARCEL STRAUSS Consultant Radiologist
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