wheels72

Hiya, My brother has struggled with poor mental health for almost his entire adult life. During his deep depressions and severe bouts of anxiety he has historically been captured by the derby mental health crisis teams. During every episode I have insisted that my brother needed to assessed to see if he was on the autistic spectrum and required long term support to function in life. We have had a terrible time with psychiatrists and CPNs that would never listen to my pleas for a proper assessment and that their suggestions for a diagnosis e.g. Personality disorder did not account for his childhood difficulties. In the past we have been told by psychistrists that he is just selfish, that it was our fault as his family because we've let him get away with not behaving properly. You name it, it's been said to us. And it was only during my brother's last really bad episode in 2009 that a clinical psychologist listened to me and referred by brother to the Sheffield diagnostic unit, where he was diagnosed with aspergers. Unfortunately, my brother did not share the diagnosis with us (as he was trying to be independent and thought that he should be able to cope alone) did not really take it on board and also did not relate his mental health problems to the aspergers. The recommendations that they made, reiterated with specific recommendations by the clinical psychologist were ignored by the GP and so unfortunately no intervention nor support was put in place for my brother. Consequently my brother has yet again suffered catastrophic social failure and is now in a terrible state of depression and anxiety - triggered by failures at his current workplace. Furthermore, he has shared with. Me that he is being abused at work by the management (who are not aware of his diagnosis). Sorry to go on, but trying to give context! Anyway, I found out last week that he was indeed diagnosed and am now trying to find the support that he needs. My brother is open to help and support from us only when he is in these periods of anxiety and depression, and as soon as he starts to come out of them the walls go up and it's difficult to find out any information from him. So, I'm in touch with gps, social services, mental health teams, commissioning teams, NAS, advocacy services, and services outside of his postcode that offer post diagnostic support from multidisciplinary teams. But, for every step that I take forwards, there are ten going backwards. Basically, the pct commissioner today told me that there are no Post diagnostic services in Derbyshire for adults diagnosed with aspergers and that he can't advise me about what services to look for because they don't exist. When I said that he was charged by the autism act to develop them, he said he was trying to develop services in derbyshire. Ok, But when asked about interim arrangements whilst they're busy developing services, he said that there wasn't an interim plan either and didn't know what I should do. So it seems that the nhs don't have anything in Derbyshire for my brother, leaving just social services then? What a joke. I have insisted that my brother is entitled to a needs assessment for his long term needs as per autism act and national strategy but they just keep focussing on his acute depression and anxiety problems (all over the phone with me, they havent actually put anything in place for that need yet) and keep trying to push me away from discussing how I get a personal budget and/or direct payments to pay for support services that are available through a charity based in Derbyshire that can provide 1:1 key working, really good advocacy and support for the workplace and seem to have a really positive approach to aspergers and autism and are patio ate about focussing on people can do as opposed to what they can't do. I just don't know how to put my foot down with social services though. What do I have to say to unlock access to a proper assessment of his needs. I am so so sorry to ramble on.

Hi everyone, Am glad to have found the forum as i having a frustrating experience trying to access help and support for my brother, who is 39 years old and diagnosed two years ago (but we've only just found out). I am keen to connect with other people living in Erewash and Derbyshire, to compare notes on the brick walls that we keep hitting. Thanks! Leish