Published on 12, July, 2020
OK - Banging on about general health care again, lol
But, has any one tried either of these routes to accessing support to attend the doctor's, hospitals, for procedures?
As just a reminder, for those who aren't already bored of the sorry saga; it's because of the problems the SPD component of my autism causes in relation to health care that I ever got to an ASC diagnosis. Cracked that one for myself because mental health were too busy misdiagnosing an me with an EUPD and doing generally doing more harm than good - but that's another tale.
Basically, otherwise competent, confident, happy little autie that I am in all other aspects of life, my ex-husband used to describe taking me to a medical appointment like taking the cat to the vet and matters really came to a head when they took my teeth and tail span into a cycle of meltdown/shutdown due to sensory trauma. I've now lost count of how many procedures have been abandoned as 'not tolerated', how many meltdowns I've had when approached with medical equipment, and how many medical staff have just not understood what was going on for me and made everything worse. I've been trying to get into the doctor's surgery for months and my long suffering dentist has to take some more. This can't go on!
To date; social services have refused 3 times to accept the referral. My social prescriber finally got very pushy with them and they have now, not that that guarantees they will actually take the case so to speak. If they do, I certainly don't believe I should be paying for this as this is ALL about my health care. We don't charge wheel chair users for the installation of the hospital ramp, because they can't access their health care with out it. So, if they will take the case, I would be hoping for NHS funding, but idea how to go about that.
The other tack tried and failed is claim PIP and buy in services as needed. PIP accept I cannot access health care and yet will not give me any points under access to health care! Go figure! I've been told to go through this again. I'm stressed already at the thought of it, but needs must. I'm not holding my breath.
Some one mentioned Health Personal budgets too. Again, this is a new one on me and I don't know how to go about that. I don't know anything about those. Can anyone enlighten me? I guess that would mean the executive stress and strain of having to buy in the help too. But needs must.
At the end of the day, all I want to do is get through as much health care as I can without upsetting NHS staff or giving myself so much anxiety and sensory trauma I end up suicidal about it again, or else lose my sanity and end up locked up. I don't care, which one of these strategies works, just so long as one of them does and I end up with a permanent plan for accessing my health care, particularly as my friends live at a distance and I have zero family support with this.
So, have any of you tried any of the above and managed to get the right support?