Basildon Mental Health Unit

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2019-01-26 Person 1 5 0

I was admitted here in December 2016 4 days after the birth of my first child, it was the worst place I could have gone to, the staff had no compassion and basically just left you to suffer doing nothing all day, I remember laying on a sofa all day everyday and not once did any staff member ask me how I was, I met some lovely people in there and we all supported each other more than the professionals! I wasn’t aloud to go to my bedroom to get a new sanitary pad as they couldn’t be bothered to open the bedrooms at the other end of the unit. I was leaking milk obviously as I just gave birth,and wasn’t even aloud to go and get my breast pads so I had to sit there and cover up my top as it was soaking wet! Disgusting place with appalling staff, should be shut down completely! It’s meant to be a safe place but it really doesn’t feel like that .

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2019-01-03 Person 2 5 0

My mum has been in and out of this unit for years. Each time they discharge her after leaving her to watch TV for a few days. No treatment or diagnosis is ever suggested. We are forced to keep calling the ambulance and police numerous times a month for her psychological break downs. She has hallucinations, delusions, horrendous anxiety, mood swings, countless suicide attempts, she is utterly hopeless and desperate but still they refuse to help. They belittle and dismiss everything you say to them and everything she tells them. There is no joined up thinking. It a pointless facility, offering no help, and wasting money.

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2018-05-27 Person 1 5 0

I was taken there " just to make sure / be safe " for a proper assessment that never happened All that patents are allowed to do is watch TV or sit in their rooms. no activity, no problem solving. its a drug people into a compliant stupor framework they operate within. the staff were disinterested or at worse emotionally abusive, making things up to trigger patents to get angry so they have a excuse to abuse. it was torture, I only got out because i had no drugs on my medical record and enough wear withal to call a lawyer, despite threats to drug me if i did not comply. Staff would play games with patents to make them question their senses. they are sick, there is no help there, if your looking to traumatise a loved one or give them ptsd then section them. The staff should be locked up they are clearly personality disordered. Ive met people employed there with actual empathy who just left it was so bad. Im still carrying the incidents that happened to me around with me today, scared and worryed that i could be sectioned a a drop of a hat " just for your safety/health/to check" rights taken away. trapped with people who can write anything they want on your medical record.

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2018-03-28 Person 1 5 0

Hello, I have been in and out of this "assessment unit" for quite a long time. Ive been in the system at basildon hospital mental health unit for over a decade. when you was put on wards instead of going through this assessment phase. I will write about my last experience at the end of last year , as i would have to many things to mention. First of all the staff (depending on who ) are lax in security checks. I came straight from a hospital ward in the main hospital to the unit and was not checked at all , i was just asked to empty my pockets in which i only took out what i wanted to take out. That you could say was a bad thing for me to do, but i was not of sound mind to think of rules regarding smoking etc. The only reasuring thing about that unit is the fact you get your own room. only open obviously at night and at an hour and half after lunch (rest period). To say all the staff there are grossly lacking in any moral standards is not fair but i can honestly say , the staff there are not helpful they are not approchable and absolouely not people to come to with problems or things that are affecting your mind while in that "sweat box". Once i was in i was left standing at the office door (unopened) for about 2 hours while nothing was really going on , watching people pacing up and down , some crying with nurses walking past uninterested in why people were behaving or acting in this way , Frustration panic and paranoia was seeping through my brain as i watched this (even tho like i say i have been many times , that fear of impending doom never leaves as i knew damn well what was to follow). the unit has a routine, your up at 8am, breakfast , then you are left all day in a television room watching mind numbing programmes with people battling over the remote, ending up with a pack leader taking control of the tv. I have never felt safe in that unit , i have gone to staff many times, asking for help , (needing a PRN) or just someone to talk to. Always to busy in the office. its disturbing to think that an assessment unit is somewhere anybody can walk in with any condition and levels of danger to others , yet staff are nowhere to be seen, The smoking situation is degrading , obviously the NHS is a no smoking zone, but they will take your lighter , yet leave you with your tobacco , chewing gum is not allowed yet its everywhere, The yard is only open at certain times, and its so crowded in there it smells of rotting flesh alot of the time, where people have not showered in days because some need to be escorted and watched,,,and it just doesn't happen. I dont know what these staff are busy doing as they wander from the drug room to the office hundreds of times a day ,, saying to me "in a minute" or "im busy right now". . when im in pain and need medication. You basically sit in the tv room with nothing for stimulation waiting to see a psych , which to be quite frank ,,,is another story all together, this wait to see the psych could take up to 72 hours yet i have seen and have been a guest there for a week at a time if not longer. i have witnessed arguments , descrimination and negliect towards myself and others at my stay at this place. Choice ? ,,,, NEVER AGAIN Reality ,,, i will prob be back there , just as scared if not more scared than before Thoughts are with everyone who has even been subjected to the mental torture there , and i think daily of the people who are in there right this very second , more than likely beside themselves with anxiety to which goes unnoticed Shame on you all

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2018-03-27 Person 3 5 0

I am very upset about the care received for my partner. My partner was sectioned but the doctors or nurses were not listening to the family members or friends about his care despite being told that he is not safe to be discharged but have now discharged him with no place to live or no care plan in place. This a despicable service. As they have now discharged a patient with no place to live and no care plan knowing full well all this information.

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2018-03-05 Person 1 5 0

****EXTREMELY LONG POST BUT WORTH THE READ IF YOU OR A FRIEND ARE BEING ADMITTED HERE **** Not sure if this is the right review page for the hospital I was in. I was on a mixed (male/female) ward in Basildon Hospital. I was never told the name of the ward I was on. Only the location. I was a patient on this ward. I was 18 and I was only there for one night. It was the worst experience of my life. I was sent to this ward after being held on a section 136 (police section) for 72hrs. When I got there I was informed that I had been put on a section 5(2) (72 hour hold). I didn’t know what this was at the time and no one explained it to me when I asked so I just went along with it. Within 5 minutes of being there the fire alarm was set off and I watched a man run out of the fire exit. None of the staff even tried to stop him. I was shown to my room (a bed behind a curtain) and the bed was completely soaked in orange juice. I was given clean sheets and told to clean it up. Having been off of my medication for some time before this I was quite unstable and had a short temper. I told the HCA’s that I wouldn’t change it and I began to become agitated. They called the nurse in charge and got medication brought to me. I asked what it was and what the dosage was and was told to ‘just take it’, to which I refused as I won’t take medication if I don’t know the dosage or name of it. From here I was pinned to the ground in front of both the males and females on the ward, I had my trousers lowered and was given an IM (injection of medication, usually a sedative). This only made me more agitated and I started to fight off the staff as they kept trying to grab me. I was given an IM two more times. Eventually I was taken to an empty room and was told to sit in there. I was on a One to one/arms reach (a HCA has to present and at arms reach to me at all times). Still agitated and feeling embarrassed I tried to get the staff member by my side to give me some space. I started by asking if they could back away a bit. As they ignored me and wouldn’t answer or acknowledge the fact I was talking I began to shout. The staff member then pressed the alarm and 3 more staff members came into the room. One of the women grabbed me by the shoulders and I pushed her off of me to which she got in my face and shouted ‘don’t you dare assault a staff member’ and pushed me back. She then grabbed my arm and was holding it unnecessarily tight. I tried to pull her fingers off of my arm to loosen her grip whilst I was saying ‘please get off. You are hurting me.’ She then made her grip tighter. I started pulling at her arm and then I slapped her hand trying to get her off. She then got really angry and punched me in front of the other HCA’s (who were watching the entire thing happen but doing nothing). I squared up to her and repeated the question ‘did you just punch me’. I then said that I had witnesses, referring to the other HCA’s in the room. She then asked ‘did you see me touch her?’ All of the other staff members in the room shook their heads and said ‘no’. The next morning I was transferred to a unit closer to my home. Oh and the guy that managed to escape was brought back in but police officers about 20 minutes after he left. Oh and whilst this was going on, a lady stood in the middle of the hallway and peed all over the place. Also there was a woman in there who I think was pregnant. She spent all night asking various staff members if they could unlock the showers for her and she kept being told ‘I will do it in a minute’ or ‘I’m busy at the moment, can you ask someone else’. I saw her in the morning before I left and she still hadn’t been given access to the showers.

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2018-02-02 Person 1 5 0

Terrible got no head at all made my breakdown worse staff are rude

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2018-01-12 Person 1 5 0

Second part of my review... Self admitted to Basildon Assessment Unit to seek professional help & guidance for chronic insomnia...for 6days... When I finally got to my bedroom I was quite took back by the sleeping arrangements my first thought was wrong place to come too for chronic insomnia... The curtain was hanging off its rail with the street lamp outside brightly shining in.. The bed was far too small with inadequate bedding...didn't expect a five star room but this was should I say not sleep friendly.. During the night I was up & down all night not because my medication which have taken for years was not working the bedroom was just so non sleep hygiene etc.. After a few days I went to get my night time medication & was given two small tablets I asked what were they & was brushed off with this will help you sleep better...would not say what medication so I assumed it was a antihistamine.... Even with this new medication still up & down all night.. After I left the unit I googled the medication which I had given to my surprise & shock it was quietiapin anti-psychotic used in a small dose 2x 25 mg... Yes they actually use this now in a small dose to help with sleep.. Was not amused that I had not been briefed by a doctor firstly what this medication was & secondly if I would of known I would of declined. This is gross misconduct you are by law required to inform the patient what the medication is etc... I was not consulted therefore did not give my full consent.. Sadly after 10 days on this medication whilst at home I had a serious side effect as my doctor said was due to this medication.... All my plans have been put on hold as for the last 6 months I have suffered immensely with a serious health complaint due to this medication... I am now under a professor in London..... In the future I will be processing legal action against this trust as gross misconduct took place by issueing a powerful medication without a consultantion first & no consent was even considered.... Another sad story to read about the misuse & abuse of medication on mental health wards I wonder if the priory would of acted in this manner the answer is no.. Not amused & extremely angry....went in for professional input know spending most of my time in London for treatment because of a medication they gave me without my full consent....as I would of politely declined.... When legal action is taken they will definitely try to alter the facts.. The health service is under alot of strain my legal action is not money orientated it is principle....& in the future hopefully it will be compulsory to inform all patients what the new medication is etc.... Right now they to me are legal drug pushers...prescribing pills so blashey... This time what they thought was fine & turned into a nightmare for me....

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2017-12-18 Person 1 5 0

My daughter was admitted hear just before Christmas last year 4 days after giving birth to her daughter . She didn't receive any emotional support and the whole experience made her illness worse . She was denied access to toilet facilities when needed and obviously after having a baby this was greatly needed . Wasnt aloud bck to her room to change breast pads or a change of underwhere in the day when needed which is appalling. I know it was the safest place for her at the time but her basic human rights were ignored .

Basildon Mental Health Unit 2017-11-12 Person 1 5 0

One of my good friends is currently in this hospital the way she has been treated is absolutely disgusting she files a complaint and nothing gets done and now has the night staff trying to intimidate her and giving her strong tablets shame on you! Your supposed these people not just fob them off with medication