"Comfortable yet understaffed"

I stayed on Redcliffe, all-male Acute ward for about 5 weeks. During that time it was extremely difficult. Priory is a very nice place in terms of furnishings, far superior to what one expects from a hospital: large queen size beds with actual duvets, TVs in every room, spacious accommodations and well maintained bathroom facilities. The food is restaurant quality and one definitely misses it when transferred. However, the actual Ward facility is badly constructed with ceilings 9ft high and hallways 7ft wide, having ceiling lots radiating heat, feeling like one is trapped in a shoebox. However, this is where the positive qualities end. While the HCA staff are mostly friendly, staffing numbers are clearly an issue and patients are made to wait typically 90min to go on any type of supervised leave (compared to two NHS facilities I stayed at as well where this was closer to 20min). What’s more, a bizarre policy exists where patients aren’t allowed out on grounds after dark, meaning that you are effectively locked down for 14hrs+ a day. The staffing issue are exacerbated at night when numbers are cut in half, resulting in fights an average of twice a week due to staff being huddled in their office, never interacting or monitoring with patients. Office organization is also a total mess, with Leave being regularly misplaced outright or misfiled. Finally, OT visits were virtually non-existent: the location offers no gym, common space to play pool or any sort of arts and crafts areas like regular NHS facilities. Overall, it is the most comfortable materially a patient will be. But in terms of the advertised special, up-close care that is advertised there was nothing in that realm which existed.