Last weeks visit

Last week Jo visited Friends to Friends in Burton to discuss mental health and what support is available to them and how easy it is to access. Friends to Friends are a group for people with learning disabilities that meet 3 times a week. They do lots of activities including crafts, cooking and day trips.

One member told us that he has contacted the crisis team about 150 times in the last 3 months as this is the only number he has been given when he is struggling. Jo asked him if he has been given any other support or contact numbers and he said “I spoke to the disability team and they said they cannot help me with my mental health, so I rang the crisis team and spoke to them. They are very good, but I don’t know where to go to get help other than them.”

Another member said that she rang a number that was given to her by her GP and said “when I rang them, there were too many buttons I had to press, and I didn’t know which ones were right, so I hung up. No one helps you with this.”

Another member said that they had had a great experience from the mental health team and has had a counsellor go to her home and they were very nice and made her feel better.