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Protecting the other patients

Posted By Betty123

"Protecting the other patients"

About: Adult mental health (Lewisham) Inpatient mental health care (Lewisham)

(as the patient),

I was an inpatient at the South London and Maudsley Trust. There was another patient there whose sexual behaviour towards staff and other patients including me, was extremely upsetting and I feel that other patients need to be protected.

A few staff had informed me that they had reported their concerns. However, when this happeded to me I was merely told to keep away from her. I had to lock myself in a toilet and in my room on several occassions. Staff did tell her to keep away from me, but as the staff were in my experience often in the office laughing and joking with each other and rarely floating around the ward, there were still many incidents. I felt extremely vulnerable and my mental health deteriorated significantly during and after my stay there.

Other patients need to be protected. This patient's behaviour was known about yet very little was done to protect the other patients. Staff were that rarely available, I was in a locked toilet with this patient outside the door for an hour and ten minutes before something was done.

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Responses

Response from Su Glazier, Head of Improvement, Innovations and Involvement, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 13 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Su Glazier
Head of Improvement, Innovations and Involvement,
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 15/10/2010 at 18:01
Published on Care Opinion at 01:00

Dear Betty123, I am very concerned and sorry to hear about your distressing experience on one of our inpatient wards. You understandably also have concerns for other patients on that particular ward. As we have 60 inpatient wards it would be extremely helpful if you could share more details with me so we can pinpoint where this happened. This will enable us to look into the situation and put whatever measures are necessary in place. You can email me or phone me on 0203 228 1669 (I am not always in the office but you can leave a message and I will call you back). I would also like to encourage you to think about using our Complaints process - you can contact the Trust's Chief Executive or Complaints Department, Maudsley Hospital, 111 Denmark Hill, London. SE5 8AZ or Email: Complaints@slam.nhs.uk Telephone: 020 3228 2444/2499. There is a lot of information about the process here. Best wishes,
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Response from Patrick Gillespie, Service Director, Psychosis Clinical Academic Group, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 13 years ago
Patrick Gillespie
Service Director, Psychosis Clinical Academic Group,
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 16/11/2010 at 19:36
Published on Care Opinion on 17/11/2010 at 00:00

I am really sorry that you have been distressed by an experience within our services. You have raised a number of important issues which we are investigating formally under the Trust’s Complaint procedure, as agreed with you in your recent discussions with Su Glazier, one of the Trust’s managers.

I am aware that the Complaints Department has tried to contact you directly to discuss your concerns in person and also the manager who will be investigating your concerns. Your clinical team is also aware of the concerns that you have raised and will help you with your current distress.

Once again thank you for highlighting these concerns which we take very seriously, which will be thoroughly investigated.

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