I think this is probably a good moment for me to come out of the
shadows (what's the internet expression 'lurker'?) and to plead for
both advice and assistance.

Following an incident with my keyworker I was described by my GP as
'potentially violent and dangerous' (he even went so far as to notify
the police!), and 'a threat to vulnerable people' by my Trust (I'm a
general nurse with 20 years experience, although I currently have an
office job (it's called paying the mortgage) and was promptly barred
from nursing).

In addition somebody sent the keyworker in question a heart through the
post - a crime I was accussed of, and which I soundly refute.

Following a risk assessment - a report which I haven't seen, but I have
viewed what appear to be manual extracts from his report that have been
entered into my health records (under the Access to Health Records Act
1990. (i) 'he believes' I sent the heart (!) and (ii) describes me as
having a 'severe borderline personality disorder'. In deference to the
gentleman concerned hhe only saw me for little over an hour, conducted
no psychological tests and hadn't (as far as I'm aware) seen my notes.
Now I'm familiar with the standardised diagnostic criteria for
borderline personality disorder (from the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and do not
believe that I match that criteria.

Professor Ronald Blackburn in his paper (Treatability of Personality
Disorders) submitted to: The Committee of Inquiry into the Personality
Disorder Unit, Ashworth Special Hospital, February 1998 states that
`the reliability of individual diagnoses of PD is generally low. This
reflects ambiguities in the diagnostic criteria and difficulties in
deciding whether or not a trait is "present" or "absent".

And, to top it all I was sectioned following a suicide attempt at the
end of last year and was 'assualted' by nursing staff (4/5 staff
members dragged me by my hands and feet across the floor of my room,
only letting go when I banged my head against the wall)because I
refused to leave my room (I was extremely frightened and tearful - only
the previous evening there had been a violent incident right outside my
door requiring the attendance of the police).

Traumatised by what as happened so far I endeavoured to 'walk away'
from the system and pick up the pieces of my life, but when I visited
my surgery - I found I had to see a male GP (my GP is female) with
another one in attendance. It was then that I decided to investigate
my health records, which are a complete mess. Full of inaccuracies,
ommissions and what I would presume to describe as outright lies.
There's even a note from one of the consultant psychiatrist's to say
that some of my notes went 'missing' from her desk.

I have written several letters to my consultant psychiatrist and had no
reply. I have made a formal complaint regarding the 'assualt'. I have
struggled to get my case reviewed and second independent opinions
sought but to no avail.

This is an extremly frightening time for me - there appears to have
been a knee jerk reaction to one incident that has escalated wildly out
of control.

It appears I need some kind of champion for my cause because the
'system' doesn't seem either able or willing to address issues such as
(a) potential misdiagnosis? (b)abuse by staff etc. etc. (I don't
qualify for legal aid as I work full time and 'own' my own home, and I
cannot afford legal representation because I'm barely able to make ends
meet as it is).

I must confess I'm quite shocked by what has happened to me, though I
have since gathered that this is 'nothing new' ('tell me something I
haven't heard' was the opening line from the Chief Officer of the local
Advocacy office), perhaps I'm naive I don't know, but I thought 'they'
were there to help. It is very frightening to be rendered so
powerless. How is that these people can get away with being both judge
and jury? How is that saying 'I believe' makes it so?

Both the short and long term ramifications of these events are too
horrifying to consider.

Any knights (male or female) in shining armour out there?

Thank you for reading this post.

Ann


'My brother slew no man; his fault was thought*,
And yet his punishment was cruel death.'

KING RICHARD III


*Thought (anxiety, grief. So 'to take thought' is to give way to
grief)





"l holden" <louise.holde-@...> wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/uksurvivors/?start=173
> I thank my stars that I do not live in Leeds near where this 'caring
nurse' practices. It's view's like this that make people who have
experienced the mental health system fight harder to change the way
people are treated and the way the mentally ill' are viewed.
> The article, if you can call it that, belonged in the letters page of
the SUN not the Nursing Times. What a load of ignorant rubbish.
> I don't go around, saying, 'love me, I'm a mental health service
user'. Far from it. I do however use my experience AND my
qualifications to challenge, educate and change services which people
receive. I do this by working for a Mental Health NHS Trust. I
suggest that the writer of is this article should seriously consider
changing professions, we need caring, understanding, enlightened people
in our NHS, of which there are many, not someone like this. I wouldn't
want him treating me.