The lack of resources/support for MH was a real eye opener when I was last sat in waiting for a bed in A&E just over 2 years ago. 18 hours I sat waiting for a bed but in that time I reckon I saw 10-15 people come into A&E desperately needing MH treatment and little was able to be done about it.
I'm sorry that you experienced that, it's genuinely upsetting to hear the other side. We know the otherside, but can separate ourselves from it most of the time.
There has been a huge reduction in the amount of beds available in the last 12 years, at least 25% have been decommissioned since the tories came back into power. It's even worse in learning/intellectual disabilities. The financial squeeze has meant that services have has to be pared back from proactive to reactive, and even then, it's got to the point that people are being discharged with inadequate support after very serious, determined attempts to end their life that have necessitated time in intensive care.
Staff are burnt out, wondering if they can continue to practice when they can't provide the standard of care that they want to give, and know people need and deserve. Do they continue to work, do the best they can, knowing that they're compromising their standards and principles? Worrying that the restrictions will land them in front of a coroner or the regulator. The conflict is further heightened by the below inflation pay rises making people question whether the pay is worth the stress. Why take responsibility for the lives umpteen people a day, when you can stack shelves or something for marginally less money?
Something needs to change.