There is a piece in the Guardian today detailing a filmmaker and how he dealt with being diagnosed with schizophrenia and his journey through the NHS system. He has documented his story through in a series of Youtube videos and a book of poetry, and the Guardian article is an insightful look into his life and condition.

We’re sure carers of those with mental health issues can relate to some of the article. Some of the interesting points raised are around his perceived lack of support from A and E and from the NHS more widely. His statistic that “50% of the people who went to A&E who had self-harmed or attempted suicide were not given a psychiatric assessment. is particularly eye-opening.

Do you relate to any of these issues raised in the article? How do carers in Southwark feel about the NHS and his treatment of those with complex mental health needs?

Here is a link to the article: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/18/schizophrenia-mental-health-young-people