Share review of Cygnet Hospital Harrogate

Cygnet Hospital Harrogate 2013-03-31 Person 2 5 0

I spent three weeks in Cygnet Hospital during a period of depression and anxiety accompanied by suicidal thoughts. My stay gave me an opportunity to rest and to calm my thoughts to some extent. The ward staff were very variable. Some were very kind and caring. A small number of female staff seemed to dislike the patients so much that it was hard to understand why they chose such a profession. It was very common for staff to take about parents as "he" or "she" when the patient was standing in front of them. When a 'tramp' was admitted who was, unsurprisingly, quite smelly, two of the nurses were absolutely horrible to him, holding their noses when he went close to them. I think it is worth reminding those who work there that, although we are certainly ill, we are not stupid and can generally hear perfectly. Please do not talk about us, in our presence, as if we cannot hear or understand. Some of the staff, however, were wonderful, eg. Mick and Julie, who were kind, caring, sensitive and good listeners. My main complaint is that I was not seen as an individual by the consultants, especially in terms of medication. I spoke to another patient whose diagnosis from their consultant was almost word for word the same as my own. My antidepresant (citalopran) was quickly raised from 20 to 40mg when my depression was not lifting although I had only been on it around 3 weeks. I was put on amitriptelene, a very old fashioned drug which gave me terrible side-effects. Dr Bradbury did not seem to hear my description of virtual sleeplessness which was central to my depression. I was very much a patient and not a person. When I left Cygnet Hospital, the Crisis Team in Manchester really listened to me, changed and reduced my medication, and within days I was sleeping properly and, months later, I still am. When I left Cygnet, I was still not sleeping and I was still suicidal. I had told the staff at Cygnet the day before leaving that I was suicidal but retracted this when they said they would take my key off me. The Crisis Team took from me the medication I was sent home with - enough amitriptaline to potentially kill myself - and gave medication to me on a daily basis. They quite literally saved my life, essentially by not only listening to me but by hearing me. I definitiely was helped more by my fellow patients than by the Cygnet staff and regime - with the exception of the Therapist, Gayle, who was excellent and also Mick and Julie who were kindness itself. Unless we actively sought a member of staff to speak to, they gave us very little attention, generally chatting among themseves and, (again forgetting that we could hear them and generally were listening) complained about one another, shift arrangements, which floor they were allocated to, etc. I don't want to be totally damning of Cygnet - it is a comfortable place; it offers therapy; many members of staff are caring; it offers a place of respite; the food is lovely; there is the opportunity to visit the gym; .. but my essential points are ... see beyond the 'patient' to the person inside. Listen to what the patient tells you. Never forget that they can hear everything you say. Consultants.. don't lose touch with your basic humanity and remember .. we are sick, not stupid.