Anonymity allowed me to be open and honest about personal issues

Today is Time to Talk Day and to support and celebrate that we have a guest blog from a mental health service user. 'Herre' explains here how dialogue on an anonymous feedback platform helps service users like her.

I am not someone who normally participates in feedback or telling my story to an audience, and have many reasons not to.  Not so long ago, it was my cynical view that such exercises were tokenistic, an attempt to subdue criticism or obtain compliments: participation would be as efficacious as shouting my concerns at a brick wall.  Furthermore, chronic issues with my confidence self-esteem and body-image preclude anything I would consider to be ‘going public’.  Add to this my suspicion that any criticism of the NHS would be utilized by those with a political agenda, and you get an unlikely candidate for using sites like Patient Opinion and it is with some amusement that I find myself writing this piece.

Throughout 2012 I had a series of very negative experiences in trying to access support for my worsening mental health and the physical symptoms related to this.  Details of this can be found on the Patient Opinion website at https://www.patientopinion.org.uk/opinions/82035 so I will not repeat them here, but I will reiterate the sense of despondency and hopelessness that I was left with. Asking for help had been difficult and although my expectations were not high, they were not met and the process felt futile and embarrassing.   

Patient Opinion was recommended to me by someone whose opinion I trust and respect so, despite my skepticism I agreed to look at it (at the very least, as an outlet for my frustrations).  I was encouraged by the fact that that each case appeared as a conversation rather than a one-way process and that the layout made it simple to complete.  Having the time and space allowed me to reflect and write a considered account of my experiences, with thought for the consequences or outcomes.  Anonymity allowed me to be open and honest about personal issues, but also to be more direct.  A face-to-face scenario would have, at that initial stage, been too confrontational for me: I know from experience that it results in either shy submission or vitriolic outbursts, and a failure to move towards a positive outcome.  As you can see from my case, the outcomes were indeed positive and I have felt empowered by the process.  It has given me more confidence in discussing my care plan and I feel listened to.  This would not have occurred without the initial contact being anonymous and virtual.      

Disclosure and honesty is of upmost importance if feedback is going to be purposeful and worth obtaining.  The obstacles to achieving this are high and exacerbated further when the subject being discussed is considered taboo, embarrassing or likely to attract stigma.   Mental Health issues are a prime example of this, and I have come across many people who have felt the need to hide their difficulties or not speak out as a result of the reaction (or perceived reaction) to disclosure.  Their silence denies them the assistance they need and are entitled to, but also has consequences for healthcare services.

Service-users/patients are a vital resource in improving the processes of care, and to the quality of outcomes.  This requires a two-way process that overcomes any obstacles to engagement.  Where people become unengaged, passive recipients of treatment, an opportunity is lost for that individual and for the future of care provision.