Sitting on a cornflake

It’s April, the fourth month of 2013 and so far this year four care workers have been assigned to my care by my social landlords. I feel it is time to reveal Mirth’s real name, it is – Joy, and Mirthless’ real name is Joyce. Both Joy and Joyce have left the employment of my landlords. Now I have Jurgita and Fiona, both of whom, I met for the first time on Thursday. Jurgita is Lithuanian, ten years in London and Fiona is Northern Irish, recently settled in London with four years living in Edinburgh.
Fiona was most interested, overly interested, to learn how the consultation between Professor Mike Crawford the Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist and I went. “Oh Fiona,” I wanted to say, “don’t overlook the little thing of medical confidentiality.” Social landlords, I am told, value themselves as stakeholders in the care of the mentally-ill. Jurgita and Fiona drew up a five point plan of action. Why five points? Five points filled up one side of a single sheet of A4 paper and we were sticking to a single sheet of A4.
I talked of the misleading internet profile of Professor Crawford where it is claimed: he is – involved in the development and evaluation of psychosocial interventions for people with complex mental health needs such as those with personality disorder and psychoses.
Wrong – Professor Mike Crawford only treats (or should that be sees, for who am I to confirm anyone is beneficially treated?) those who suffer from personality disorders. Professor Crawford most definitely advised me that he is not involved in the care of sufferers of psychotic illnesses. Psychoses are outside the Professor’s remit.
Professor Mike Crawford’s Imperial College web profile informs that his current projects include – clinical trials of creative therapies, brief intervention for alcohol misuse and problem solving therapy. What are creative therapies? Does this bland description fall within the category of psychobabble?
I do ask myself, what is the point of doing one’s homework before a consultation if the details available are either insipid to the point of meaninglessness or are just plain wrong?

Defensively Aggressive

My prescription script had written on it a note directing me to make an appointment with my GP. Not with a stand-in doctor but an appointment with my family GP. So I did…
On our meeting, my GP was immediately aggressive, with a cross, cross-examination as to my motives of making our appointment. Previously, to her chagrin, I advised my GP that paranoia is a classic symptom of mental illness. I told her of the note on my prescription script, she questioned if I had any other motive, I had none, nonetheless my GP remained defensively aggressive to the end of the consultation.
On the positive side my GP will make a referral to the West End Community Mental Health Team, W1.

That was a week or so ago, today a letter arrived advising I will be seen by Dr Mike Crawford a consultant psychiatrist based at the Waterview Centre, London W9 tomorrow. There is a big difference between W1 and W9. I, of course, will attend.
Dr Mike Crawford is also known as Professor Mike Crawford who makes the claim that NHS management put pressure on him to hit quotas in terms of patients he treats with specific conditions. I am seeing him on the current diagnosis of paranoid personality disorder. To assist I will take a copy of my novel and if allowed, I will read out the last chapter listing the various diagnoses I have accumulated.
I read the last chapter to Dr Dhar of Harley Street who immediately said the matter was “complicated”. On that note I will leave this blog except to say I do not recall Dr Dhar stating I suffer from paranoid personality disorder. I know it sounds crazy, but there we go…