"A lack of understanding of my needs"

I had a 5 month stay in Leverndale ward 4a. The care I received towards discharge was absolutely shocking

I was unwell at this time and told the staff at the desk I feel I wanted to leave and end my life. I was told I could leave the ward if I wanted as I was informal and I did. I left in my pjs and two staff members saw me when I was in the shop and stopped me and brought me back to the ward.

Ward staff let me leave ward again and I went again to end my life. I was so unwell and I even told staff how I was feeling beforehand. I was found and taken to QEUH in which I was on a 1-1 level and brought back to Leverndale after a week. 

As soon as I got back to Leverndale ward 4A I was taken off my level straight away and moved to a room where all my belongings has been taken away. I was unwell frightened and scared. I have autism with support needs and tried to communicate with staff how this made me feel. If a support worker had got me used to the ward again or sat with me for a period of time and got me settled I would have felt more reassured and some of my belongings back I would not have went into such a state (running up and down ward in a meltdown) too many changes had occurred at once.

One of the staff members closed the doors off so no-one could hear and said shouting and pointing at me that I know what I am doing and to stop it, this made me even more distressed. I was allowed to leave the ward again as I was informal by the charge nurse, even after one of the support workers kindly highlighted I was in distress and I’d just come out of QEUH from trying to end my life.

I wasn’t listened to and the police found me and brought me back to ward 4A. I was back on a level then abruptly discharged the next morning after. I’d never had any time alone off ward at home or home leave and no overnights. Was shocking.

A few days after discharge I tried to end my life again and paramedics got called. They phoned Leverndale and the paramedics were told that they could only go if they took another patient to QEUH. The paramedics said they were filling in a datex about this at the time.

Overall I felt so horrified by some of the team from ward 4A, due to the very poor care towards me. 

It feels like staff in mental health settings often disregard individuals with autism and support needs as mental health professional do not receive training on autism as it’s neuro developmental. Therefore my treatment was so poor as there was such a lack of understanding of my needs is scary really.