"Out of hours crisis line"

A few weeks ago I noticed that when I rang the usual number to contact the crisis team the phone clicked to a new message and I was told that a mental health worker would answer the phone and I was in position 1.

I was shocked that I had to give my details to a person who was obviously triaging calls and then just putting them through to the normal phone line that is never usually answered and you have to leave a message. It perplexed me why there was a need for this and when I am really distressed it adds another level I have to get through in order to get support.

Last night I rang at 2am and was in a lot of distress and very agitated. The phone rang and rang and I was repeatedly told I was number 1 in the queue. I just held the phone and couldn’t believe that no one was answering. After waiting for just over an hour a man answered the phone. When I told him that I had waited for over an hour he was very dismissive and didn’t explain why that had happened. By that time I was much more distressed and agitated and he tried to ask me my name, date of birth and if I could verify my address. I ended up just pleading with him to put me through to the crisis team.

This extra step has caused a lot of distress. It is fine if it’s going to be answered and if the people answering understand that sometimes when in distress it is difficult to give the information they are asking for.

It will put me off ringing and getting help. It has made a service, that recently has not been brilliant, much worse and harder to navigate.

Maybe you can explain to me why it has been put into place and what you hope to achieve?

I was distressed and was not in a good place last night and needed to go to A&E to get some medical support but the lack of answering the phone put me at risk of h*rm.

It is not good enough.