Oxford Complex Needs Service — Mental Health Services in Oxford, England

My first session I was asked if I would concent to being recorded for training purposes, and not alot else being mentioned.. I then had to wait over a month for therapy to start while undergoing significant stress at home. My second session I walked in to see a clock sat on a chair right next to me as if the therapist was counting down the time til the session ended. he recorded the session in audio and mentioned mentalisation afew times.. this therapist has no idea what it's like to live in survival and has no idea where in coming from. I asked to change my appointments from every week to monthly and now they are threatening to end my therapy. This was the worst mental health service iv ever used and lasted about 2 months after 2 years of waiting

I was under Complex Needs from roughly 2012 - 2021, either on waiting lists or participating in groups. I was a member of Witney TC which I found most beneficial.

Five years since completing Complex Needs. Still use the lessons I learned about myself and the world every day. I only wish there was a group for veterans living with PDs - I miss the camaraderie and the wonderfully kind and empathetic staff and those who sat beside me. Wonderful service which needs better funding to enable more people to have the opportunity to find a way to live.

The complex needs service helped me to change both my life and how I react to things, I am still far from perfect and disappointed that they won't take re referrals but their support, kindness and patience has made me able to sort appropriate support before hitting complete rock bottom. Special thanks to Dan, Owen, Lisa, Charmaine, Debs and Mo.

Never answer the phone or emails !! So how are you supposed to get in contact with these people when they've requested information to move forward with the referral....

I am really surprised to see all these negative reviews for Complex Needs. Being in the therapeutic community for two years to treat several different personality disorders has undoubtedly changed my life. Yes, it’s incredibly hard work and at times extremely painful. Yes, the therapists push you hard to see things that aren’t what you think you want to see. Yes, the waiting list is long and some of the rules can feel arbitrary at first (they’re not). But: if it weren’t for Oxfordshire Complex Needs, i probably wouldn’t be alive today. The experience taught me that I am OK and can manage, that everyone isn’t out to get me, and that I can have relationships. I will always be eternally grateful to Dan, Lisle, Sara, Gillie and the rest of the team for what they’ve done for me, and I intend to pay my good fortune forward by helping other people who struggled like I did.

I have been a few times over the years and have found it very helpful for the most part. The therapists are good at their jobs and are compassionate people. My main issue lies with the time constraints and waiting times. Due to lack of money you have a set amount of sessions and this means you have to find your main issue and focus on that, eventually all these small issues just build up again. Also due to these time constraints I found myself not saying big issues that I was simply not ready to talk about as I didn't want to waste time. There is a lot of emphasis on wasting time. Additionally the waiting times are insane, they average at 6 months but with the pandemic its been over a year since I've seen anyone and months since I've even spoken to anyone on the phone. It needs more funding.

Complex Needs proved to me that the UK is far behind in mental health compared with other countries in Europe. I came out of Complex Needs more unwell than I was before. I agree 100% with another reviewer who said Dan Graham acts as judge, jury and executioner. There are so many talented therapists around that could have his job. I also agree with the guy who said the Mentalization group was a patronising waste of space. He hit it on the nail there. A very unpleasant older woman with a disablity runs that group. The techniques used at Complex Needs are very out of date and latest research has shown it to be completely ineffective. Hence, complex Needs is a shameful waste of NHS money.

I agree I think it's very un organized all it does is program reviews and yes one therapist in big group of 21 people I might leave after holiday period if you do talk yeah it sets up things what the point of going to esg and not being able to talk not even at break waist of NHS money I agree I'll finish this month tc your not allowed to talk at all which is pointless going hi guys I decided not to come back now isn't going to come today or finish off I myself haven't seen anything productive at these group I just not going to be able to commit to early morning ok goodbye

I saw just one decent therapist in all my time at complex needs in oxford Most of them are so incredibly useless at their job, unfortunately Imo the person who ran my "mentilisation" group is almost certainly corrupt I think complex needs is a waste of nhs money that could be better spent elsewhere In a nutshell my overall experience of complex needs was not a positive one & in some ways actually made me worse I would definitely not recommend it if you are serious about getting better or finding new ways of managing your mental illness I just hope the government will put more money into mental health so things get better than what i have experienced at complex needs & the appallingly terrible warneford I am really not surprised this so-called help centre is connected to the warneford