Hello again!
I appear to be on one today with blog posts, apologies. I need to park it at some point to catch up on recording the current posts into podcasts, but when I get a Bee in my Bonnet... needs must!
It's been seven days since I submitted my open letter to several MPs, and as I have no patience, I thought it was time to take the matter a step further.
This afternoon, I have been down another good old Google rabbit hole, trying to find sympathetic journalists interested in advocating for all of us. It turns out, this is more difficult than I anticipated.
After writing the last Mother Dearest post, I am slightly frazzled and didn't have the necessary spoons, but I tried!
The journalists I found who may be amenable to helping are:
Shaun Lintern - Sunday Times
Sarah Graham - Freelancer
Ellie Broughton - Freelancer
General News Desk - Independent
Julie Penfold - Freelancer
I also sent an email to a couple of Charities, as many will only take communication from Media Outlets, I thought it might be worth a go regardless as having a large organisation supporting our narrative may help those who need it most. I contacted:
Mental Health UK
Mind
I thought that instead of greeting them with a wall of text from the FOI analysis, the response to the PIP Reform, or the full email I have sent to MPs, I would attempt to bait interest with a more concise method of communication. I have sent them the following:
NHS Mental Health Services and Proposed PIP Reform
Hi There,
I am writing to you today, hoping you can help advocate for common sense reform in the UK to Mental Health Services and Benefits.
I suffer from a wide range of mental health conditions and the commentary from the Government recently has enraged me. They appear to be waging a war against those suffering from mental conditions, instead of addressing why this is the case.
Due to this, I have written to some potentially empathetic MPs regarding an FOI Request that I sent to NHS Digital. My correspondence covered an analysis of the response from the NHS which was woefully inept, along with some suggestions.Â
I contacted the following:
- MP Mel Stride
- MP Elliot Colburn
- MP George Freeman
- MP Clive Lewis
- MP Alison McGovern
- MP Theo Clarke
- MP James Gray
Sadly, I have received no responses, which has only fanned the flames of my utter exasperation.Â
If this is something you would be interested in, please let me know and I will share my correspondence along with the FOI response from NHS Digital.Â
Kind regards,
KT
While I was at it, I had some good rapport with ADHD UK when the Beeb (BBC) broadcast their Panorama on Private ADHD Diagnoses, so I sent a more tailored email to them:
NHS Mental Health Services and Proposed PIP Reform
Hi There,
I suffer from ADHD along with several other comorbid conditions. I have been following the news recently and have ended up enraged by the Government's rhetoric on the "Sick Note Culture", and reforms to PIP.
Over the years I have sought to advocate for others regarding Mental Health issues when I have the energy to do so. As it's so politicised at the moment, I have started a blog where I cover a range of topics from my struggles with ADHD, childhood trauma, and my efforts to advocate for others, all with a healthy dose of humour and sarcasm.
This endeavour has also led me to submit an FOI Request to NHS Digital and I have to say their responses are woeful. I analysed the response, and emailed several MPs with my thoughts and concerns:
- MP Mel Stride
- MP Elliot Colburn
- MP George Freeman
- MP Clive Lewis
- MP Alison McGovern
- MP Theo Clarke
- MP James Gray
I have sadly received no replies. I have also submitted commentary to the Government's Green Paper on PIP Reform.
I'm currently trying to find a larger organisation or journalist who will help to point out what I believe are critical failings in these proposed changes. Is this data I have collated of interest?
If so I can share all the correspondence I have had so far. I have linked to my blog above which contains most of it, but the tone is quite satirical. The actual communications are drafted with more professionalism.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Kind regards,
KT
So, let the waiting game begin. I can't help but feel that as soon as the topic is out of the headlines, it gets shoved back under the rug again. I don't think that's right, we need to continue rattling cages until someone listens. Until someone with influence takes action.
I do not want my children growing up in a world where there is no support when they struggle, only stigma and resentment. I don't want them anywhere near the path which has been inflicted on me and others.
The longer it takes for me to get any acknowledgement of these issues, the more I feel defeated. Am I ranting for nothing? Am I the minority? Is everyone else getting the required support and treatment?
Then I have to remind myself, of my friends and acquaintances who have suffered, and of why we need so many Mental Health Charities. Why do they need to raise so much money?
It's not because the NHS is supporting us properly.
I have offered to help with these organisations previously. Unfortunately, they usually want fundraisers, something I am rubbish at. Give me a cause and a grumpy email to write - sold! So here I am, trying to advocate on my own, a lone voice amongst many.
I can only hope I can make it loud enough to be heard over the din.
Stay sane.
KT