What should I have expected?

adastra

Hi guys, just a quick question....

I had my first appointment with a psychiatrist today. I wanted to go private, but I was offered an appointment through the health service first so I took that. The letter said I would be seeing Dr. such-and-such. When I arrived, I saw the nurse first and she took my details, and she told me I'd see her first, then another person (I think she said 'home officer' or something?) and then the psychiatrist.

So that was grand, after the nurse I went into the other lady, and she asked me lots of questions for about half an hour, then she told me she was going to go out and ask the psychiatrist something. After about five minutes she came back in and said he was with someone. She asked me if I wanted to change my medication, which I don't, and then she told me that I need to find ways of coping with my anxiety and depression, and that I was to come back in three months for a ten minute 'review'.

Now....I didn't really know what to expect today, but I was sort of expecting more than this... I came out feeling even worse. From the answers I gave her did she think that I didn't need to see the psychiatrist? I just thought that I'd be given a little bit more help, or is this what normally happens?

MagicMarker

I have no idea, however, that seems really ridiculous!!

Did you ask her why you were not seeing the psychiatrist? Personally, i would send a letter of complaint to the appropriate people.

JuliusCaesar

adastra wrote: »

(I think she said 'home officer' or something?) and then the psychiatrist.

So that was grand, after the nurse I went into the other lady, and she asked me lots of questions for about half an hour, then she told me she was going to go out and ask the psychiatrist something. After about five minutes she came back in and said he was with someone. She asked me if I wanted to change my medication, which I don't, and then she told me that I need to find ways of coping with my anxiety and depression, and that I was to come back in three months for a ten minute 'review'.

I'm guessing here - but could that have been a House Officer? In which case this will be a medic training in psychiatry.....although they are usually Registrars. Try asking on the Medical forum.

The person they referred to as the Psychiatrist will probably have been the Consultant Psychiatrist, ie the boss of the House Officer. Not everyone gets to see the Consultant and the rest of the psychiatrists team (ie Registrars & House Officers) are just doctors lower on the hierarchy. The Consultant has to trust them to see people as it's the Consultant who bears the clinical responsibility for all the patients seen by his/her team.

So that will have been your psychiatric assessment.

There are other members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (mental health nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists etc) but the Big Boss is the Consultant Psychiatrist.

Monkey61

Hi OP,

I had a similar experience with an NHS psychiatrist. After a long wait and millions of doctors appointments I finally got an appointment for a psychiatric evaluation. Alarm bells were already ringing when the man I sat down to talk looked my age (I'm 24) and had a very tenuous grasp of the English language. He could barely understand me (and my Irish accent isn't particularly strong) and I could barely understand him either.

He sat down with a form to fill in and proceeded to read vague questions off a list while stopping me every few seconds while he attempted to word for word write down my answers. He would say "background" and I would have to answer as best I could. "Symptoms", "Personal history" and this went on like that. It was a complete joke.

Me - "I've been depressed for about 17 years now"
Him - "Ok depressed since 17"
Me - "No no for 17 years. Not since I was 17.
Him - "Yes yes since you were 17 you have been depressed. I understand."
Me - "AAArgh"

After about half an hour of woeful misunderstanding he told me that he would now go upstairs to see what the psychiatrist thought. I then asked him who the hell he was. He was a nurse. Five minutes later he returned.

Him - "Yes I have spoken to the psychiatrist. You are depressed and should continue taking your medication."
Me - "Well what am I supposed to do now? I wanted a proper diagnosis and assessment. I'm suicidal and I need some help here."
Him - "Right would you like a leaflet for a helpline to call if you feel like killing yourself."

At this point I was in floods of frustrated tears and ran out of the office with him sadly shaking his head and waving his leaflet at me. It was horrendous.

My doctor was furious. I was sent back two weeks later when I actually saw a psychiatrist. I have a new medication which doesn't work and am on a year long waiting list for CAT. Bloody marvellous. I had a mini breakdown in work yesterday and had to leave. I returned home to look up the number for the psychiatrist again. The practice has been demolished and is being rebuilt as a Tesco. I have no idea where my psychiatrist is!

JuliusCaesar

Monkey61 wrote: »

I returned home to look up the number for the psychiatrist again. The practice has been demolished and is being rebuilt as a Tesco. I have no idea where my psychiatrist is!

If you know his name you could try the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which is what all Irish psychiatrists belong to.

adastra

Monkey61 wrote: »

Hi OP,

Alarm bells were already ringing when the man I sat down to talk looked my age (I'm 24) and had a very tenuous grasp of the English language. He could barely understand me (and my Irish accent isn't particularly strong) and I could barely understand him either.

He sat down with a form to fill in and proceeded to read vague questions off a list while stopping me every few seconds while he attempted to word for word write down my answers.

Him - "Yes I have spoken to the psychiatrist. You are depressed and should continue taking your medication."
Me - "Well what am I supposed to do now? I wanted a proper diagnosis and assessment. I'm suicidal and I need some help here."
Him - "Right would you like a leaflet for a helpline to call if you feel like killing yourself."

Sounds familiar:(

After waiting for a few months I finally got an appointment for a private psychiatrist in October. Its about an hour and half drive away, and it'll cost €475 for a two hour consultation (thank god for health insurance!) but the letter alone was more thorough than the other thing I went to. I have to give details about family history, what I want help for, my childhood and relationships etc, as well as rating scales and tests for depression, anxiety, and social anxiety. So fingers crossed it'll be a better experience:)