Hampshire sexual assault survivor 'heartbroken' after specialist therapy plans terminated by CCG

The Hampshire woman, who has a legal right to lifelong anonymity, was told by her care co-ordinator that Hampshire and Isle of Wight CCG would fund two years of specialist therapy, which was set to take place at Beacon House in Chichester.

But at the end of last month, a panel ruled that the funding for this would not be given out, ending the 44-year-old's therapy before it had even begun.

She said: 'When they stopped my therapy funding it came totally out of the blue – it was agreed back in July last year and I have been talking with my care coordinator about transport to and from Beacon House.

'Then I got a phone call from my GP to say it had been stopped. I was absolutely heartbroken, and in shock and for the next day or two.

'I was almost non-functioning, physically being sick and could not stop bursting out in tears. '

Previously, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust refused to assess the 44-year-old, which is why she is now under the care of the CCG.

Since being assaulted, she has been diagnosed with complex PTSD, severe depersonalisation and derealisation, mild amnesia and mild identity confusion.

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Correspondence with the patient, seen by The News, informed her GP that the panel could reconsider its decision, but only if Southern Health can evidence why they are unable to provide the required treatments.

The woman said: 'What's worse is that I didn't even find out once it went to the panel - I wasn't told until a few days ago. It just feels like I'm not getting anywhere at the moment.'

A spokesperson for the CCG said: 'We provide all of our patients with a fair and equitable service and in exceptional circumstances, approved by a clinically led panel funding, alternative providers may be considered.

'If an application is turned down cases can be reconsidered providing that ‘new’ additional clinical information is provided by a clinician.

'An appeal can be made and would consider whether the process and rationale behind the clinical panel’s decision has been adequately followed, that all relevant information has been considered and that the decision was fair.’