"My time at Arnold Lodge"

Since I have been at Arnold lodge. The good bits are I have done loads of treatment, learnt life skills, problem solving skills and it has helped to keep me calm. I have done mindfulness, I do psychology and lots of things about my background. I have one- to-ones with an allocated nurse once a day-in the mornings and in the afternoons. Females and males members of staff are on the ward. You always have a qualified member of staff. The ward is always busy.

The good thing about the ward is the staff are really good and caring. I get looked after. The staff help you get better-I have had a lot of treatment on the PD wards and I have had some OT groups on the ward. I also I see the RC (consultant) and I see the psychologist-the psychologist is excellent and the other person is a social worker and is a diamond to me, Lindsay. She supports me in a professional way. My mum has dementia now and can’t get to see me how she used to be able to but my social worker goes and picks my mum up so she can see me. She is unbelievable. I have nominated her for an award.

I think a few things could be improved on-when I first came we weren’t allowed TVs but now we are. We are allowed take-aways once a month now. The stricter practice now to make things better for service users is more friendly and you can talk and have your own bedding in seclusion. It is more for yourself. Seclusion is a lot better than it used but what they can do better is to really check whether seclusion is wanted or needed or whether they can use different strategies like time out and mindfulness and essential oils etc.

6 weeks ago I got upset and I was swearing, and they wanted to put me straight in seclusion but I was suggesting time out in my bedroom. But they weren’t listening to me and said I had to go to seclusion. I wanted to speak to a solicitor but they wouldn’t let me. Then I was taken to seclusion and they locked me in the room. I got angry at that point and was going to launch the TV, but I didn’t . I shut the curtains and put some music on. The staff tried to get me out. But in the end I finished my cup of tea and they took me to seclusion. In the long run if I could have gone to my bedroom none of this would have happened. I was on a moving-on ward since 2010 but this incident means I am back on a ward called Ridgeway. I am going to bring this up next week in ward round. The advocacy will be there for me.

The other good bit is the therapy services, we have Gym and horticulture (Emma is lovely), we do art and crafts and then we do recovery college and then I am involved with impact so I go on teams once a month involving other areas/ trusts and their meetings. I get a lot of benefit from this. There are lots of things that do benefit me. I am also involved in staff interviewing-which has been good.