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"There didn't seem to be continuity between the support that was available to teenagers or children and the support which was available and needed by adults. Especially on the psychological support side. Dealing with the fact that you've got a long-term illness, the system does seem to be continuous, the...read more
"The most important thing is about everyone having equal access. There's too much variation in access to mental health services, to specialist services. It shouldn't matter where you live, or what your postcode is."
"I thought I was having chest pains. The GP, in the same day, referred me to hospital to have my heart checked. And lo and behold, there’s no spaces for the MRI free. So I have to go all the way across Scotland. This was just before the second lockdown,...read more
"My son, he's just finished university. He picked up a lower back injury, and because he was travelling backwards and forwards to university and not in a stable location, they were unable to offer him anything directly. So it became an issue that took three years to resolve. And we...read more
"Hospitals should know better, we are constantly required to call for an appointment – they should be able to recognise that we are Deaf and offer alternatives, text numbers or even Centre of Sign Sight Sound’s contact details. Not simply rely on us phoning."
"There's a fear around registering with a GP. Maybe that's something we should want to change. Something guaranteeing that data stored by your surgery or the NHS doesn't get shared with the Home Office."
"My mother had cataracts. She was at the point where she couldn't really see. And she was put on a year long waiting list. So she had to pay for that service in the end."
"When I was a teenager I fell pregnant with my eldest. And I've always struggled to get the support I've needed. I've always been pushed from pillar to post or have not been able to get the help because I'm not classed as severe. Because I'm not a danger to...read more
"I just feel frightened for those people who don't have children that look out for them. I have an aunt and uncle who both had dementia at the same time. They were estranged from their children, but we didn't really know that. And they'd been lying on the floor in...read more
"When my mother needed an operation, when she came out there was a package arranged to support her. I couldn’t actually use it because they came and hoc times. If you've got someone with dementia, you can't have people turning up at ad hoc times. We have a separate toilet...read more
"My most recent experience is with my mother. She went through a really bad patch after my dad died. It was really difficult to get them to help and support with that initially. She really reached rock bottom before the authorities came in."
"A friend of ours had a heart attack a fortnight ago. And she went down to the hospital. She was four hours in the ambulance, waiting. There were seven ambulances behind them all waiting. And she said that the staff were fine, but it was horrendous."