OCD Action has been able to help many people already through its advocacy work, below are just some of the success stories;
Case note – Education: A student with OCD contacted us. He was in a real distress and could see his life falling apart. His OCD focused on a need to continually check his work for days on end. He kept missing deadlines and he was failing coursework and assessments. The staff at the University did not understand what his OCD meant. OCD Action worked with the student and his university to agree a plan of action and some of the changes and adjustments that the university should make. 18 months on and the student now has an honours degree and a better life in front of him.
Case note – Employment: Peter was having problems with his employer. He wanted to continue to work but felt his OCD was getting in the way. His job performance was being questioned by his manager and being seen as a ‘performance’ issue . A trained OCD Action volunteer worked with Peter and explained his rights under the Equality Act to ask for reasonable adjustments. His employers are now working with him to try and implement these and Peter continues to hold down his job.
Case note – accessing treatment: Mrs S has had severe OCD for over 32 years. She contacted OCD Action because after years of fighting for the specialist support she needs, she had reached a dead end. Her local services had discharged her saying that “there is nothing more we can do”. OCD Action talked her through the agreed NHS procedures for accessing a centre of excellence and one of the Charity’s trained volunteers went with her to discuss this with her local care team. Finally, her local care team agreed to refer her to a centre of excellence.
Case note – service providers: Miss P has severe OCD and her fear of contamination rules her life. She finds it very difficult to come out of her room and leave her house. When she developed a serious physical condition, she could not face going to the hospital. The fear of contamination was too much for her. Some attempts were made to get her to go to hospital but she fled each time , leaving her condition untreated and her health deteriorating.OCD Action worked closely with Miss P and with the hospital management team to agree how medical procedures could be carried out to minimise Miss P’s fears whilst still undertaking the test and treatments she needed. She is now managing to access treatment at the hospital after adjustments were made for her.
Computer sciences student at Northern University, Mr T has severe OCD (Contamination and checking). He is trying to complete his first year but has problems handing work in on time as he has ritualised checking of essays. The University are penalising and down grading his work for being handed in late in spite of the fact that they are aware of his OCD. Mr T feels victimised.
This is causing him to become more anxious, stressed and depressed.He is a high ability student. His family have written to his tutors and have had no satisfactory response. Advocate worked with Mr T to formally challenge the University on their failure to make ‘Reasonable adjustments’ under Discrimination Law.
Mr T’s essays were remarked and he was awarded joint top of grade for his year.
Mr S rang service; his wife has had OCD since childhood and spends up to 18 hours a day involved in washing and cleaning rituals. This lady’s husband and family are her ‘carers’. Mrs S is intolerant of SSRI’s (drug therapy) due to a pre existing medical condition and she cannot access CBT as she is from Somalia and cannot speak English.
Two NHS Trusts have been unable to provide a CBT service that will cater for this lady- her Advocate is now involved in pressing for appropriate services for her.
Working student with OCD- intrusive thoughts, checking rituals. Currently has a job with a large department store. Client’s checking rituals in the morning are causing her to be late for work and as a result she has been cautioned under usual lateness protocols. Her Advocate has provided factsheet information regarding her rights under the Disability Discrimination Act for her to take to her Human Resources Manager.
She has disclosed she has OCD and this is currently not being taken into consideration by the Firm. The Advocate is supporting Miss R in her right to ‘Reasonable adjustments’ which the firm have a duty to make.
Severe OCD, unable to wash, eat, and carry out any daily living activities. She had been assessed for urgent in patient treatment but had heard nothing for three months.. Advocate became involved and within a week referral came through and client was offered a place almost immediately. Miss O requested a visit as she felt she was not making progress as she was getting conflicting advice re her treatment.
Her Advocate able to write to the staff on her behalf asking for clarification of care plan, goal setting and that she be involved in meetings about her care and treatment. The Advocate was also able to coordinate local support for client whilst she is in hospital.