"Finally got the help I needed"

Finally got the help I needed.

I was in Lotus Suite for a few days. A luxurious assessment ward with 5 sofa type beds similar to a business class bed. In fact the suite resembled a nice airport departure lounge with access to 2 fridges with sandwiches and frozen Indian meals. Also drinks, breakfast cereals, fruit + snacks. The young team are very friendly, engaging and the highest standard mental health team you could encounter. I felt like I was in an expensive private treatment clinic. Professional, highly trained and experienced. I could not praise them more.

I was sent to Jupiter ward due to bed shortages. Patients have serious complex mental illness and I enjoyed engaging with some of them and discovered some interesting characters. The staff have a lot to deal with and i admire people with qualities to do this serious work and remain detached from the intense and sometimes abusive behaviour. I am not thick skinned but I would love to do this type of work helping people. The menu is good and mealtime is enjoyable and the food and domestic staff are nice and hard working. I love African people which make up a large portion of staff. They have this warmth and smiling positive attitude. The male nurse is a brilliant night shift nurse. He engages with the patients and is funny and playful and I heard some patients say he was their favourite. One girl is also very amiable and warm and provides relaxation classes plus other activities.

The consultant psychiatrist is a straightforward decent man. He listened to what I had to say and was very cooperative with my suggestions for my treatment plan for chronic anxiety and diazepam overuse.

An intense environment due to the nature of the heavily medicated very ill patients which could affect those with less severe problems but for me overall a positive, enlightening experience. I have great empathy for the patients with severe lifelong psychiatric disorders. There is a lot of distress and emotive behaviour due to patients access to go out and smoke a cigarette. I did not have this problem as I was an informal patient and following discharge.

I have improved since treatment and discharge and I hope the senior psychologist refers me to a psychologist which she said she will do.

This website I am writing my review requires me to choose 'which department did you visit'. Psychiatry or mental health is not on the list so i chose 'Don't know' so I can submit my review. Overall a positive experience. Thank you.