The value of an care with which psychiatric notes must be written was something I learned very early. There is no such thing as a fact, direct quotes can be wrong, and observations are critical. When I worked at CMHT I was known for writing excellent notes. I try to carry that on but given the workload and time constraints they sometimes slip. They are my reminder and my safety net.
Some years ago a somewhat challenging student made a legal request to read all my notes. She said after that I said very little and she was left with no ammunition to sue as she intended. It doesn't always work but it can be a get out of jail card.
Sadly not everyone in the field writes good notes. I have read my pages of notes dating from 1991 to 2005 and thoroughly unpleasant reading they are. That was 4 years after salvation. Perhaps the saddest part of my story is that the one person who got it right, gave me the life saving treatment never wrote her thoughts down. Then she left abruptly. In the years since I tried in vain to get 2 consultants to look at it but both sat on the fence.
So all these years later I am told I am being treated for something they say I don't have. I have a mood disorder and nothing else. But will Doctors listen? Of course not. Today I was reminded of this. I saw the GP I have seen several times this year since my whooping cough and she asked if I wanted to come off my medication. No way!!! She only took the error of the screen. A little thing perhaps but it really annoys me. The arrogance of the consultants 20 years ago still affecting me now. It seems so wrong. But that is my life.
Back at home I took a rare venture into cooking fish; devilled mackerel was splendid. And now Vietnamese beef curry is bubbling away on the hob for tomorrow as I listen to the "Marriage of Figaro" and sup a beer on this surprisingly warm night.
What will tomorrow bring I wonder?
I Heard a Voice.
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