SSWAHS has its ally - or some might suggest: "With friends like this who needs enemies"

Socrates has had a short break but now it's back to business. There was one interesting interlude which arrived as a form of comment from a fellow blogger who thought that the information in this blog was "A very sad case". The following is their opening gambit:

"I have been a client of the local mental health service on and off since 1994.

"About two years ago, there was a front page article in a local newspaper that was highly critical of the local mental health service. I stated on this blog that I was one of the people that spoke about my problems with the local mental health service to the journalist who wrote the article."

Below is what the same person stated about the local mental health service on the 23 October 2008 about the time that the blogger refers to in the comment above.

"Another day when I had every opportunity to drink but I didn't. I have the house to myself. I have money and I am feeling a bit stressed with this article coming out in the paper. BTW: the journalist wanted my full name to go into the article. This would not have worried me but some of my family did not want this, which is fair enough. I feel stressed wondering who is talking to this journalist and what they are saying.

Also, I feel stressed worrying that (while I feel nothing about most of the useless clowns that work there) there are three people who work there that are OK and have treated me all right.

Since 1994, there have been a lot of times when either no-one who worked there or maybe only one staff member had any time for me .......... but now, when the article is written there are three working there that are OK. The journo has promised that she will not "hang me out to dry" and she will show me the last draft before the thing is in print.

To repeat myself, I hope the article causes maximum discomfort and embarrassment to most of the people there who have in various ways treated me like shit but I feel bad about helping with this article when three people that work there have treated me OK.

If I was a nicer or better person I would think more of Harry, Alan and Gillian and I would have said "no" to any involvement but as it turns out I could not resist the chance for a bit of pay-back against the majority of BMH (Bowral Mental Health), who I think really deserve it: AND as it turns out, I am not the only one they have done the wrong thing by."

"What happened quite a few times since 1994, was that a local shrink could schedule me to a place like CRC for 4 weeks, but they could discharge me after a week and then I'd come back to this area, still mentally unwell and usually receive zero follow up, support or supervision from the &%$#@S that have worked in the local mental health team.

They are obviously not to blame for everything but on a number of occasions they were a factor in me running around this area (longer than I had to be) off my head, getting into legal trouble and putting some members of my family through hell.

"I hope I can get to November 29 without drinking again; that will mean one year, 365 days, with only three days drinking A 99+% success rate. 2008 will be the most sober year since I was 16. I also will have achieved this without being in jail or rehab ....... and I also did it without "swapping the witch for the bitch" ie: I have not used or abused valium, xanax, pot or any other drug this year."

Socrates simply makes the point that a person affected by a chronic substance abuse may not have the best attitude about the persons who provide health and support to those so affected. The comments from the blogger posting the quoted text from 23 October 2008 would suggest that they have had little interest in taking responsibility for their actions, preferring instead to lay the blame upon the clinical staff that they were so anxious that their action "causes maximum discomfort and embarrassment to most of the people there who have in various ways treated me like shit but I feel bad about helping with this article when three people that work there have treated me OK.

"If I was a nicer or better person I would think more of Harry, Alan and Gillian and I would have said "no" to any involvement but as it turns out I could not resist the chance for a bit of pay-back against the majority of BMH (Bowral Mental Health), who I think really deserve it."

Now, Socrates does think that this is more than a bit sad!

Another good news story that can't be taken by SSWAHS from the local Southern Highlands people.

A focus on mental health ­- and why we’re blue - MORGAN DOWNS - SHN - 11 Oct, 2010 09:36 AM

THE MOST rewarding aspect of working as a registered nurse at Bowral Community Health Centre is seeing consumers’ illnesses resolving.

So says Kelly Mills, who takes pride knowing that she was part of her client’s journey with mental health.

“Work is different all the time, because everyone has their own story,” she said.

Ms Mills, along with senior clinical nurse Shane Schutz and service manager for mental health William Midson, spoke to the Southern Highland News specifically for Mental Health Month.

Run in conjunction with Beyond Blue’s Anxiety and Depression Awareness Month in October, it aims to raise awareness of mental health in communities.

Ms Mills’ career in mental health began while she was at university and gained experience working in the department.

“At first I was apprehensive, then I just loved it,” she said.

“I found that helping someone by working them through problems and especially liked early intervention with youth.”

She said it wasn’t until she began working at the Bowral Community Health Centre that she realised the extent of services available.

Mr Midson said that when people engaged in the health centre’s services they provided further information and advocacy for patients.

“It is difficult, but we help people to find a way through,” he said.

Mr Schutz – who has been working in the industry for 15 years – was able to see first-hand the stigma surrounding mental health gradually change.

“There is certainly still stigma and issues around mental illnesses and disabilities,” he said.

“But people accept them more now, particularly men.

“In the last 10 years, those stigmas have certainly reduced.”

Events such as Mental Health Month and Anxiety and Depression Awareness Month allow organisations, service providers and the community to create stronger partnerships.

Our masthead is blue this week to recognise mental health issues and mental health wellness."

Socrates says: Well done the Southern Highland News! You, at least know the value of quality local services for local people.

SSWAHS and its solution for mental health patients in their care

Is this the plan for the future? SSWAHS outsourcing its clinical responsibilities to general practitioners who might be unable to deliver the basic medical skills to patients in the community. While asking for expressions of interest will the SSWAHS Executive bother to check whether the general practitioners responding to this proposal have the skills to provide the necessary clinical skills to those for who they are being made responsible.

Dr Teresa Anderson, SSWAHS Director of Clinical Operations, wrote to the CEO of the Central Sydney GP Network, Dr Michael Moore, on 20 August, 2010 to request expressions of interest from their organisation, or individual general practitioners and/or their practices. The focus of the EOI is to provide medical services to patients with mental illnesses who attend the SSWAHS community health centres.

SSWAHS cites the current situation they have at Croydon and Redfern Community Health Centres. It would appear that they have plans to eventually roll this program out for all their SSWAHS Community Health Centres including, presumably, the Bowral Community Health Centre.

Socrates suggests that what SSWAHS Executive is opting to do is to establish their existing Community Health Centres as the sort of "Super Clinics" which have been touted by the Federal Government and, mainly, by the various Divisions of General Practice. What will be the outcome one wonders? Will our Community Health Centre become the "Super Clinic" which has been sought by the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice? Will the Bowral Community Health Centre be handed over to Dr Warwick Ruscoe and Dr Vince Roche and the rest of the Board of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice?

And what will be the outcome for the staff of the Community Health Centre who are employed by SSWAHS? Will this new method of handing over the clinical responsibility to local general practitioners mean that SSWAHS will be downsizing its staff numbers in order to satisfy those who want to replace staff with machines the go "ping"!

Finally, what about the patients with a mental illness, don't they also have the right like all of us to choose the doctor to which they go to seek their continuing treatment? If they are forced to go to a doctor chosen by SSWAHS do they really have a choice?

As for the GPs in the Southern Highlands, how do they feel about the Southern Highlands Division or SSWAHS selecting a general practitioner to take away their patients from their practices. If they have developed a good rapport with their patients do they really want to hand over the clinical responsibility of their patients to someone who may, or may not, have the same level of skills and empathy as they have.

SSWAHS and their staff.

Now you might think that old Socrates is just gnawing on the bones of SSWAHS with the previous posts on this blog. Happily, I can tell you that there's still a lot of meaty bits on the bones of SSWAHS as we will see in the future.

However, let me be quick to make the point about the SSWAHS staff, particularly those who live and work in the Southern Highlands. Generally, they are faultless - with a work ethic that would shame the SSWAHS executive and bureaucrats in Liverpool and beyond. Apart from the exception of the person described in an earlier post, they do their work and make do with the very little that the SSWAHS administration provides to them.

There are people in both Bowral Hospital and the Community Health Centre who have spent many years engaging with their community, listening to their community and delivering to the best of their abilities the sort of quality health services that local people have expected and needed. In fact, the reason that Bowral Hospital and the community health services have been financially supported by the local community and businesses, to purchase equipment and develop specialist services, has been because of the respect that the community has for their District Hospital and its staff. Nursing, medical, allied health, and hotel services staff have all contributed their best in the care they deliver to their patients.

Too bad the same cannot be said about the executive staff of SSWAHS who rarely, if ever, even visit the Southern Highlands and, when the proverbial faeces hits the fan, they vanish like smoke and leave it to the local General Manager, Denis Thomas, to cop the flack and give the hard answers. Socrates believes that Denis Thomas doesn't get paid enough for his job! SSWAHS has put him out there with a bullseye painted on his back and nothing but an expired Harry Potter wand in his hand.

One consolation the Highlander community can have is that generally all the Wingecarribee staff are usually supportive of each other (apart from a notable exception) and remain determined to provide their best clinical and other support service to the community.

Socrates, at least, will attempt in this democracy to make his vote count in the upcoming elections, both Federal and State, to ensure that Bowral Hospital and its health services get the recognition it deserves and the local management which will give the best direction to our future in the Highlands.

Long may our democratic rights remain, and may our collective votes ensure the future growth of our local community.

And, if the Gods are really listening, perhaps they would like to send a serve of the pox on the SSWAHS Executive. :-))