Share review of Rydon Ward

Rydon Ward 2018-09-25 Person 2 5 0

Having had a number of admissions to this facility, what concerns me most is the general inconsistency in care that the staff provide. The quality of care seemed highly dependent on who ever happened to be on duty. While some staff seemed genuinely caring others were very difficult to engage with and some were plain rude. The fact that high proportion of staff is made up of young unqualified girls made the ward feel unsafe at times. Particularly at times of any kind of unrest. The tendency for many of the staff to hide in the office works only to compound the them/us division between patients and staff. Focus on managing risk alone as a method of care does not contribute sufficiently enough towards a recovery based approach. Also, on occasion finding that some members of staff found the distress of patients amusing did nothing to fostering trusting therapeutic relationship. Coercive physical restraint of someone who is acutely unwell is downright terrifying and only re-enforces the idea that all mental health patients are dangerous further promoting damaging stigma. The physical environment is bleak and not stimulating , like a prison . This made my admissions feel more like punishment than helpful intervention. Once I was beginning to feel better the fact that the only activity available was the tv, was very disheartening. The activity room was bismal and often locked up and even the vicar seemed to had deserted the ward. Having recently accessed my notes and I also discovered that there are many inaccuracies and untruths recorded about me for posterity. This has further tarnished the impression that I had formed of the ward. A shame really, as some staff clearly tried to provide at least adequate care.