CRI Recovery Initiative coaxing a disgrace!

[usandthem]

Another case is a close to home family worker who without knowing that CDT had lost the contract to make way for the probation like CRI crime reduction initiative. The bastards lied to get the contract and now my cousin is in a right state. He was only in the service for 6 weeks and these bastards were badgering him to reduce down when he wanted to go up. Anyway, ever the compliant junkie thinking these monsters knew what they were talking about. He went along with them. I dont think his heart was in reducing as he had only been in service for a few weeks. The vultures talked him down and now he is using heroin to top up. He has to miss 3 days before his swab and he drinks alcohol in between. The crux of this story is he was a lot more stable just being on heroin before these vultures fucked him up. He now wants to leave the service because he feels pressured and can't make his own decisions. He never once mentioned anything about wanting to reduce but yet he finds that is what he is doing. These greedy scum are wrecking lives now. It won't be long before another overdose is swept under the carpet. These bastards will always make sure they have their arses covered. I'm fucking livid. I am seeing doctor next wednesday and demanding out of this recovery thing. If he doesn't let me reduce under his care I am leaving the service. I will send a letter explaining why to the NTA and NHSDirect 

[usandthem]

Another case is a close to home family MEMBER who without knowing that CDT had lost the contract to make way for the probation like CRI crime reduction initiative. The bastards lied to get the contract and now my cousin is in a right state. He was only in the service for 6 weeks and these bastards were badgering him to reduce down when he wanted to go up. Anyway, ever the compliant junkie thinking these monsters knew what they were talking about. He went along with them. I dont think his heart was in reducing as he had only been in service for a few weeks. The vultures talked him down and now he is using heroin to top up. He has to miss 3 days before his swab and he drinks alcohol in between. The crux of this story is he was a lot more stable just being on heroin before these vultures fucked him up. He now wants to leave the service because he feels pressured and can't make his own decisions. He never once mentioned anything about wanting to reduce but yet he finds that is what he is doing. These greedy scum are wrecking lives now. It won't be long before another overdose is swept under the carpet. These bastards will always make sure they have their arses covered. I'm fucking livid. I am seeing doctor next wednesday and demanding out of this recovery thing. If he doesn't let me reduce under his care I am leaving the service. I will send a letter explaining why to the NTA and NHSDirect 

[derek d j]

Do it! I often wonder if the NTA have any idea what it's like to sit in the client's chair at such providers. Users usually take a 'nobody would believe me' attitude and the whole scandal remains unexposed.

[simon]

I'd suggest a complaint would be better dealth with by the DAT, PCT and maybe PALS (Patient advice and liaison service) at the PCT. The NTA probably won't be involved with local commissioning.

[derek d j]

True enough. But I don't like to think of their PR staff growing bored and turning to online pornography to pass the time, we must be responsible about such matters.

[froude]

A letter of complaint or a Email does it for me ,i Email ,you know they have to read it as it is on their computer,complain,complain,complain,All the best Froude

[usandthem]

Thanks Simon and everyone else. I am in to see the doctor soon. A double appointment. I hope he will let me switch and let be monitered on my methadone under his professional care. He seems like a nice enough doctor but just hope he hasn't been tainted by the recovery commissioners to come on board. Anyhow, I am low risk and need very little maintenance. I can flourish in my care and also help in some volunteering, if away from these predators in the recovery team. I hope the doctor can prescribe outside of DAT commissioning because I really need to be away from this new recovery service and that uneducated key. They know nothing about addiction and nothing about mental health - they are clinics bought in off a college cities & guild education in councelling. They do not have my care at heart. I need someone who is medically professionally trained to oversee my reduction 'That's right Reduction' as I want away from this whole kaboodle. I can not let these kwango's keep pushing me around and having me on the defensive every appointment. I want to be in control of my own future. They treat me like I am unable to make my own life-choices. Very sad the way the service has fallen down and come to this. I am coming out even if the doc says I have to stay with them. I will then contact PALS to complain and then do an emergency reduction. Then phone down to miss my next appointment and then hopefully I will be down 5ml a week by then and down to a little amount and won't need to go back to the CRI ...I call them CRY because they make you want to..hahaha! Anyway thanks all Im adamant im coming out of the service because they do not have my care and my needs at heart and all they want to do is argue with me and have me on the backfoot. Its a control thing. I can't wait to be off and give them the finger. Bring back CDT PLEEEEAAAASSSSSSEEEEE Government

[usandthem]

Some helpful links (ICAS) set up by DofH:  Independant Complaints Advocacy Service for NHS and Social Services.

 All local services available on links at bottom of page. Click link

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Legalandcontractual/Complaintspolicy/NHScomplaintsprocedure/DH_4087428

[simon]

Thanks Simon and everyone else. I am in to see the doctor soon. A double appointment. I hope he will let me switch and let be monitered on my methadone under his professional care. He seems like a nice enough doctor but just hope he hasn't been tainted by the recovery commissioners to come on board. Anyhow, I am low risk and need very little maintenance. I can flourish in my care and also help in some volunteering, if away from these predators in the recovery team. I hope the doctor can prescribe outside of DAT commissioning because I really need to be away from this new recovery service and that uneducated key. They know nothing about addiction and nothing about mental health - they are clinics bought in off a college cities & guild education in councelling. They do not have my care at heart. I need someone who is medically professionally trained to oversee my reduction 'That's right Reduction' as I want away from this whole kaboodle. I can not let these kwango's keep pushing me around and having me on the defensive every appointment. I want to be in control of my own future. They treat me like I am unable to make my own life-choices. Very sad the way the service has fallen down and come to this. I am coming out even if the doc says I have to stay with them. I will then contact PALS to complain and then do an emergency reduction. Then phone down to miss my next appointment and then hopefully I will be down 5ml a week by then and down to a little amount and won't need to go back to the CRI ...I call them CRY because they make you want to..hahaha! Anyway thanks all Im adamant im coming out of the service because they do not have my care and my needs at heart and all they want to do is argue with me and have me on the backfoot. Its a control thing. I can't wait to be off and give them the finger. Bring back CDT PLEEEEAAAASSSSSSEEEEE Government

Excellent, you'll have exited drug free, proof they were right all along.

[usandthem]

No..because I have had a lovely letter back from the NTA and they say I am within my rights to stay on maintenance and the necessary steps I may need to go through if they make it difficult for me to maintain. The thing is I will want to reduce to get away from them not because their forcing and coercing has worked. I will reduce myself if I do not get to come away from the service. I will not leave quietly. I will make numerous complaints through PALS - the PCT know and tell me to keep them updated. I have 2 reference numbers from the NICE folk and the NTA also I will write to my local mayor to complain and also independant health concern and the National advocates Society. Also NHS Direct know my plight so its not like im slipping away quietly. That is just the last resort Simon. If the commissioners do end up having the GPs in their pockets then there is very little else I can do to bring them into the correct way of thinking. But hopefully it will be O.K. Will keep everyone updated as to how it all goes.

[simon]

I think more people should complain and I can't think of one other patient griup that is treated so shabbilly.

[usandthem]

Quite Simon. I am hoping a self detox is the last resort. If all else fails and I have to keep defending my corner with these bonus chasers. Then I will take drastic home-made measures. It will give me mental peace if nothing else. I have tried so many times to get them to listen to my cries of wanting to stay maintained. Nothing seems to work because the R word keeps finding its way into every single appointment. I have even had to raise my voice but my key gives as good as she takes and still finds 102 reasons why I should be ready to reduce. So I have to take precautions in keeping my name on the blue prescription pad. The doctors knows nothing of these secret minutes. I wonder if they would be so pushy if the prescribing doctor was present?!! Mmm..  Any way thats last resort....Oh Harry Neilson is a legend even though he is before my time I do enjoy his tunes and also The Eagles and Supertramp and E.L.O and P.Floyd are all great bands from late 60s, 70s. Excellent

[Pogle]

Contact an advocacy service - either a local one or The Alliance helpline. They should be able to help you open a more constructive dialogue with CRI. If there are a few of you having the same problems it would be good if you could join together and try and get your voices heard.

Its very very easy for organisations like CRI to characterise complaining about prescribing as "typical junky behaviour". "Junkies" always want more drugs - so their script (no pun intended) goes. So when they ask for more drugs or to keep their drugs, its only "their conditioned junky response", its not because they really need them. Thus your requirement for adequate and responsible treatment becomes made part of your disease, its pathologised. Its a lot worse than stigma or discrimination its a direct abuse of their power and your dependence not on drugs but on the system that distributes the drugs. It used to happen a lot in mental health. The mad man says he's sane but he's only claiming to be sane because he's mad. Therefore the more he claims to be sane the madder he is.

However its harder to pathologise groups of people all saying the same thing. Join together, stick the word recovery in front of your name and make them listen.

[simon]

Pogle,
I do find it odd because when I stick to the DOH and NICE guidelines patients don't tend to complain at all and i'm reassured that what i'm doing is pretty much correct. It's good that well educated patients read up on this sort of thing if i'd a long term condition i'd want to know everything about it. I'd not want  to see a clinician who just did what he or she thought best.
I do like the idea of forming a group + recovery in the name. Can I suggest 'Positive about recovery'  ?

[usandthem]

I am all for collective construction and the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts. Would their be enough folks to make them listen. I really want to be positive about this group thing. Other advocacy groups form and dissipate like atoms when you turn your eye away. The best one is The Care Quality Commission (C.Q.C) seem to hold the most wait when it comes to combatting or airing concerns or complaints about DAT Services. This recovery thing is a giant and will take some knocking down. We would need some medical heavyweights. Anyone know Prof. John Strangs cell phone number??  Jokes!! The Alliance?? You mean the forum in which we are writing now?! I never knew they had a advocacy line number and then they have to have someone in the midlands and then they would also have to have the time to look into your case. As far as I know they are all voluntary and work in other jobs and find trouble to give you the time. I swear I am not a pessimist even though my writings say otherwise