A Kent teen has been left waiting eight months for a mental health appointment after
having an initial assessment with their GP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charlotte Russell, 18, contacted her doctor in October 2021, and was recommended
medication and therapy for what they believed to be severe anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Miss Russell was a minor at the time, she had to be referred to the children\u2019s mental
health services before anything could be taken further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But waiting for treatment resulted in her mental health worsening: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was having panic
attacks, and I couldn\u2019t breathe to the point where I was throwing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI felt so low, and on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A report by The Insight Network found that one in five students suffer from a mental health
issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When first requesting support, Ms Russell had just began the last of two years of A-levels,
but these studies were impacted by her mental health: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt school, I would have to lock myself in the toilet, because I didn\u2019t want people to see the state I was in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI would just fall on the floor because I felt so drained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt got to the point where I couldn\u2019t get out of bed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Health and Social Care Act 2012 saw the government pledge equal access to effective
care for those experiencing mental or physical health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But by 2020, one in nine people had to wait more than six months for a second
appointment after an initial mental health assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That exceeds the terms set out by the NHS on their website, stating:
\u201cThe maximum waiting time for non-urgent, consultant-led treatments is 18 weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After being referred to the children\u2019s mental health services, Ms Russell didn\u2019t hear from
them until May 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt this point, I had to distract myself 24\/7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019d literally go to school, come back, do revision, eat, and then go to sleep\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the call eventually came, it was exam season and Ms Russell missed when it came
through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was told to ring them back if support was still needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI told them I don\u2019t need it anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought, I can try on my own because that\u2019s what I\u2019ve been doing for the past however
long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five months have passed since Ms Russell received that phone call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked how she is feeling now, she said: \u201cI can function, but it\u2019s more so the anxiety.
\u201cI think I do need medication for it but I would never go back because of how long it took
the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NHS have come under greater scrutiny this week after they exceeded seven million
patients waiting for hospital treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further concerns were raised in the A&E department, where just 56.9% of patients were
seen within four hours in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But speaking about waiting times across the sector, Charlotte Russell doesn\u2019t blame the
doctors: \u201cI understand it\u2019s not the doctor\u2019s fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the government \u2013 they don\u2019t pay the doctors enough and there\u2019s not enough of them.\u201d
For immediate mental health crisis support, there are helplines and live chats available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n