We've received various communications now on the subject of the ““Murky goings-on in Derbyshire” involving the current wrangle between some of the Derby City meetings and the respective intergroup. What we have so far managed to conclude from these is someone somewhere is telling rather large 'porky pies'! To date we haven't decided conclusively who is but when we do then you can be quite sure that the hammer will fall!
The latest
development in this saga however relates to a letter of complaint
(purportedly) sent by Derbyshire NHS to the Intergroup:
“The
contents of the letter is clear, alcoholic service users of the
Crisis team within Derbyshire have experienced extremely unhelpful
and very abusive behaviour at the aforementioned group [Derby City]
and the NHS are advising intergroup that they will no longer be
recommending that their service users go to this meeting.”
But in
response to a query from the Derby City meetings Derbyshire NHS
(Derby Crisis Intervention Team) responded thus (allegedly):
“Letter
from Mental Health Crisis Team boss [Richard Morrow]
Hi …..,
Thank you
for raising this with me earlier and the further information. I have
made some further enquiries today following on from our conversation
earlier.
I am going
to write a letter to the Intergroup PO Box address requesting that
someone contact me in relation to the letter that has reportedly
being sent from the team.
I will be
clearly stating that to my knowledge no communication has been sent
on behalf of the service and that any comments received should not be
considered the representative view of the Crisis Team or Derbyshire
Healthcare Foundation Trust and should be disregarded.
I will
further request that a copy be made available to me so that I can
raise with any potential source the upset and disharmony that this
can cause.
I will
send a copy to you via e-mail which you are free to retain and use as
you see fit.
I would
just like to add that if a member of my team has played any part in
the difficulties you and your group are currently experiencing then
you have my unreserved apology.
Any
comments of this nature are unsolicited and in my opinion
inappropriate and do not reflect the opinions of myself, my team or
indeed Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust.
Sincerest
regards,
Derby City
and County South CRHTT”
(It should
be noted that in neither instance were original copies of the above
communications provided hence the use of the terms “purportedly”
and “allegedly”)
Furthermore
an allegation has been made that the General Service Office (York)
instigated a series of “mystery calls to the [local] helpline”
and that on the basis of these “confirmed the unsuitability of our
members [ie. of Derby City group] for service”.
Apparently
when GSO was queried about this by a representative of the Derby City
group they provided the following reply (or as reported):
“The
general secretary tell me that GSO have in fact never so much as
received a complaint about us in 15 years, let alone opened a QA
[Quality Assurance] department.......GSO have promised me a letter
commenting on claims made as to their actions in this matter.”
In
connection with the (alleged) suspension of Derby City group members
from participation in the telephone responders' service the following
policy statement applies (as set out by Derbyshire Intergroup):
"The
group nominates the following members who are being sponsored into
telephone service, either as a responder (permanent or reserve)
and/or a 12 Stepper. All people listed must be regular attenders of
THIS group (that means they attend this group most weeks). By putting
their names on the form, the group is saying that they believe these
people are able to carry the message of recovery to newcomers under
the guidelines, and that they are reliable in performing service."
and:
“The
forms are available via DIG and NLIG; so by definition any group in
contact with their appropriate area intergroup has access to the form
and therefore into the formal service mechanism. There are no rules,
written or otherwise, that exclude any specific group or members from
formal service. A group would simply need to attend intergroup to
collect a form, complete it and return it. The accusation that "the
cult dupe "in charge of" the helpline is driving this
campaign. He has decreed that no-one who attends our meeting is ever
to be allowed to do helpline or 12-step work under any circumstances"
is simply untrue.”
and so it
continues...... so much for AA unity!
But it
would seem that we're not the only ones who are taking an interest in
what precisely is going on in Derbyshire AA. We've recently been
contacted by a reporter from the Derby Telegraph as follows:
“Hi
there,
I am a
reporter at the Derby Telegraph. I have just read the posting
http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/murky-goings-on-in-derbyshire-another.html
with interest.
If you
could keep in touch regarding anyone that may come forward with any
information regarding AA meetings in the area would it be possible to
see if they would be willing to come forward, anonymously if that is
how they feel most comfortable, to talk about their experiences.
Thanks
very much and hope to hear from you soon.”
Comment:
The above represents the shape of things to come. If Alcoholics
Anonymous is unwilling to put its house in order (and this sooner
rather than later!) then inevitably others will take action! If we
are unable to provide a safe environment for newcomers (and here we
are not referring solely to the situation in Derbyshire but
nationally) then there can be no other outcome than the referring
agencies will discontinue recommending us to their clients and
patients. If we cannot meet the absolute minimum standards of care
and respect for those who come to us for help then we really don't
deserve the trust of the society within which we operate. We
continue to receive reports concerning vulnerable members who have
committed suicide because of pressure placed upon them to desist the
use of prescribed medication (the most recent in the Bournemouth
area). The controlling, intrusive and abusive 'sponsorship' styles
characteristic of the cult members who operate within AA are still
very much in evidence. These practices simply extend licence to
those 'control freaks/narcissists' who wish to 'play God' whilst
simultaneously rendering their sponsees (or rather 'victims')
impotent, and even regressed into an almost infantile state of
dependency on their human 'Higher Power'. These departures from AA
principles are a blight on the fellowship and if left unchecked will
lead without doubt to its dissolution.
And where
does the responsibility for all this rest? Take a look in the mirror
…..
Cheers
The Fellas
(Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS Our
usual thanks to our various correspondents
