Hi, everyone.

I hope all is well.

MDTs – humiliating and intimidating

As you may be aware from my previous posts, Tuesday afternoons are when the Multi Disciplinary Team meetings (MDT) for patients under my consultant are held. Personally, I find these meetings intimidating and humiliating, due to the number of people in the room. They cause me further stress rather than serve a therapeutic purpose.

If you don’t attend, what little voice you have won’t be heard

On Monday 19 J uly 2010 I had a think about how I could avoid the stress of the meeting, and although I had previously asked to meet with my ccnsultant alone she had insisted that she needed certain staff members to be present in the MDT. I was in a quandary as to what to do, which was causing me anxiety in itself. I then realised that the best way I communicate is through my writing, so I formulated a plan. It is not compulsory that one attends the MDT.  However, if you don’t attend, what little voice you have won’t be heard. Therefore, I set to and hand wrote a letter to the team, detailing my apologies, my reasons for not attending, and what my requests and intentions were.  I ended my letter saying I would be happy to discuss any points in the meeting with my Consultant on a one-to-one basis. The letter was photocopied by my named nurse and I asked him to hand it in to the team on Tuesday afternoon.

At last I had been listened to!

Throughout the afternoon I was calm and relaxed, as opposed to feeling worried about a forthcoming MDT. It felt really good that I had taken back some control. At 16.30 my consultant approached me asking if she could see me. At last I had been listened to!  I discovered during my meeting with her that she had done far more than listen. At last services planned to do something helpful and were beginning to think about my future. Details in my next post!

Love and best wishes

Angela

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