A4MHD Issues-Monitoring

LMHAG Service User Monitoring Report - from January to the end of April 2004

Forms Received

Key to Abbreviations - PS=Phil Seery - PL=Patrick Love - AH=Alice Holland - SA=Shabeena Ayub - HD=Hilary Dyter

PS: 3, PL: 9,  AH: 15, - Total: 27 Also received 1 note (AH)
Note: All direct quotes are in italics.


How did you find out about LMHAG?

Hospital: 7 Newsam:2, Becklin:1, Mount:2, PALS:1, plus Charge Nurse on Ward 3:1)

Other: CAB, Counsellor at MIND, Solicitor, Word of Mouth: 2,
Mental Health Housing Support, and my brother is training to be a mental health nurse and he told me about it.
CMH Team: 6 (including Balm Road: 2, Millfield House: 1, CPN: 2) Posters: (1) Leaflets: (8)

Did anything change as a result of having an advocate? Yes: 24 No: 2

     COMMENTS:

• "Better care and change of consultant"
• "I found the best help and care"
• "Felt more at ease"
• "Yes. Sorted out misdiagnosis and received an apology"
• "Could have"
• "Don't know yet"
• "A further explanation was given but there was not really any change"
• "Helped with meetings and made people listen more"
• "Yes, knowing someone was listening to my problems when I could not solve these or make anyone understand that my problems are still not solved"
• "Yes. NHS Pensions accepted my claim for ill health retirement"
• "Totally and yes, a must to be heard and taken seriously"

Do you have one of our leaflets?

Yes: 23, No: 3 (PS: 1, AH: 2)

Would you recommend us to others?

Yes: 25 No: 0 Maybe: 1

Did you feel your advocate was ?:

     What improvements would you like us to make?

• "Ensure sufficient staff to continue the excellent service"
• "To know about support when arriving at hospital- to know your rights straight away"
• "I would like an advocate to stay with me until all was well with all matters"
• "More advocates available"
• "None that I can think of"
• "You are very good"
• "None, service is excellent"
• "Answer machine- difficult to deal with, it's good to speak to a person straight away"
• "Services could be advertised if there was sufficient staff - I think there are a lot of people needing help. Research into demand for services?"

     Is there anything else you would like to add?:

• "I found PL to be an understanding and reassuring person to talk to"
• "Without your help people have to put up with abuse when on a section"(PL)
• "Made me feel my views were important. Very special person"(PL)
• "Great advocate- a credit to your organization"(PL)
• "Great person- given me confidence"(PL)
• "Thank you for the support given"
• "I have had the letters written on my behalf yet the gas etc are still not supplying me and they are awaiting a response from AH. I'll have to go elsewhere to solve these other matters, they are still making my illness worse. Still would like more support."
• "Nice people, felt some confidence return in talking and learning about my rights" (PS)
• "It's free and confidential. It's good." (AH)
• "I want to go ahead with the complaint."
• "Thank you for your help"
• "AH is very good and I thank her"
• "Excellent advocate was not available for my first tribunal which I lost/resulted in extended sedation (AH)"
• "AH was excellent and kept me up to date with everything"
• "Just to tell AH I won my appeal"
• "Very helpful, comforting when in hospital" (AH)
• "Thank you for your help" (PS)
• "Thanks very much" (AH)

Findings
Note: Comparisons between this report and the last are comparing figures for different periods of time. This report covers a full year, the last covered one third of a year.

Forms Received
The number of forms received has fallen from 3.75 in last report to 2.25pm even though advocates have been making more effort this year. We are now monitoring the number of forms given out so should be able to work out a percentage return rate.

How did you find our about LMHAG?
There is a significant increase in the number of referrals via the Community Mental Health Teams (6:0). We have our first mention of PALS. Leaflets are mentioned more often (8:2)

Did anything change as a result of having an advocate?
The vast majority of people who responded felt that having an advocate had improved their situation.

Numbers who have our leaflets
Alice has pointed out the possibility that some people may be responding literally to this statement i.e., they have lost or disposed of the leaflet given.

We need to change the wording of this section to:
Were you given a copy of our leaflet?
Mick is in the process of doing this.

Would you recommend us to others?
Gratifyingly high.

Suggested Improvements
The answer machine has been tackled to some extent in recent months with our student on placement. Mick is going to fill the gap she has left for 2 days a week.
Interesting that the Waiting List is not mentioned. This has been in operation for Alice and Phil since last summer.
Again the request for more staff.

HILARY - May 2004