I was struck by the news last week that GPs are so overwhelmed with mental health patients that they are directing them to the care of unregulated charities. Complex cases are now in the hands of therapists who are not always qualified to treat them.
In one case, an autistic girl with an eating disorder was asked to self-refer to a local charity that offered “one-to-one support” – given by someone untrained in psychotherapy or counselling. Her mother, a former psychiatric nurse, became concerned that the treatment was doing more harm than good and put a stop to the sessions.
