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Harrassed by another service user at the Becklin Centre

Posted By smokies11

"Harrassed by another service user at the Becklin Centre"

About: Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust / Adult mental health

(as the patient),

I was assessed after suicidal thoughts by the crisis team to attend ICS day hospital at Aire Court.

Complete waste of time - only two "groups" a day, the rest of the time you are alone looking at each other or the walls. I was pushed to discharge myself before Christmas back to the CMHT. Then my key worker was on leave, so I found myself assessed by the crisis team who were brilliant.

I was admitted to ward one Becklin Centre and my first week was productive and settling. My anxiety levels were reduced until I was harassed by another service user. This was reported over a number of days and eventually I was told I had options as I was an informal patient. I could move wards, move back to ICS, go home or stay on the ward and put up with it. So much for a duty of care towards me.

I have tried to speak to staff about my concerns and I am told I have not to take it personally as the service user is ill. But the comments and bullying are on a personal level so I can't fail to feel bad about it, this was the reason I was admitted into services again.

It is really frustrating that an informal patient is not provided with the same care as a sectioned patient. If I go home in this state I am liable to hurt myself. I have read my notes and staff comment that I am showing no signs of distress!

Do I need to hurt myself in front of them to get noticed?

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Responses

Response from Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 11 years ago
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 08/02/2013 at 15:19
Published on Care Opinion at 16:25

Dear smokies11,

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to share your very mixed experiences of care here on Patient Opinion. I am Marrisa Carroll, Locality Manager for the Intensive Community Service and Community Mental Health Team.

It would be easy for me to concentrate on the positive elements of your story, and I am certainly pleased that the Crisis Team and the first part of your admission were supportive and constructive.

However it is obviously disappointing that you feel other aspects of your care have been less satisfactory, and I am grateful to you for the chance to respond to this.

Without more details it is difficult for me to give a comprehensive reply, and to assure your confidentiality it would not be appropriate to do so here. However, I would be more than happy to discuss with you your concerns and experiences within the ICS and CMHT.

I would also be happy to have the situation looked into further for you, to see if there is anything more that we could have done during your admission.

People admitted to hospital either informally or under a section of the Mental Health Act can be experiencing a wide range of medical, psychological and behavioural changes which can affect their interactions with others.

Ward staff do their best to ensure that any such changes do not adversely affect the admissions of other people, and I am sorry that in this case you felt this didn’t happen.

I am glad that the ward staff offered you the choice to move wards or have your care transferred back to the ICS, as this is what I would have expected from them.

However, whether someone is in hospital informally or under a section it should have no impact on the type or level of care offered to them. It was certainly not our intention to give you this impression, and I’d encourage you to make contact with our Patient Advice & Liaison Service on 0800 0525790. They can put you in touch with me directly.

Although we cannot undo your experience, by you giving us more information we might be able to learn something from this as an organisation, to improve the care and services we provide.

Thank you again for sharing your story here on Patient Opinion, and I hope things have improved or at the very least stabilised for you since your admission.

Yours sincerely,

Marrisa Carroll

ICS/CMHT Locality Manager

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

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