"Experiences of care in male personality disorder services"

The feedback below was given as a response to being asked about how they as patients were experiencing the care offered to them in the male PD service at Rampton Hospital;

1. When I moved ward I found that this team listens (evans ward). The ward manager has respected me and even let me and others loose with a paintbrush so we have been involved in imroving the decor on our ward. some things id like to change is the activities at weekends its boring there is nothing to do, we would like a craft group or something like that. Volleyball would be good, like to be busy and active. sometimes its difficult when you get told to be an individual but everyone gets the blame and we all get treated the same and you get restricted.

2. Communication needs to be a two way thing. Rampton need to be better at it. When things get cancelled we need to know in advance. It’s alright on here; I’ve progressed. Putting trust in staff. When I was ready to move on I couldn’t, staff knew I was ready and because of the rules I couldn’t. When people are moved they are not ready. Rampton need to help people take the next step, everything is done for you so when they go to a Regional Secure Unit they can deal with it a bit better.

3. Building trust is crucial. Take notice of the Recovery Plans – individuals needed to be treated as such. When somebody can’t get something, nobody gets it. The atmosphere, staff are good, it runs well (on the ward). It’s clean and tidy.

4. I like the Community Meetings as they are patient led. We would love a pat dog, as Therapy on the ward. We have been waiting two years.

5. Positives and negatives about being here. You have to do the treatment. You have consequences at Rampton if you don’t stick to the programme. There’s a lot to lose, it’s so different from prison. You need to focus on yourself and get through. The hospital helped me to bring my family back together. I hadn’t seen my brother since I was three.

6. I read and listen to music. I go to the library and can request books I want. The library has a fine selection of books.

7. The user groups could be less repetitive as sometimes the same things are discussed. Communication of decisions should be passed down to everyone from these meetings.

8. It’s not nice being referred to as dangerous. Mental Health has got a big bubble around it which needs to be burst. When you go to general hospital the staff are horrible with you, they snap at you and makes you want to snap back. When I’m in a new environment, it’s very anxiety provoking; it took me about a month and a bit for me to settle in. It took the staff that long to get to know me and to talk to me.

9. It is very important to bring in a virtual campus to aid further education studies, this would be ideal so it gives patients living a life in the future in community with a job or as student.

10. I get enough time to come to Chiltern (day area). Chiltern and Creswell (day and therapy area) are important to me, I can get off the ward. I’ve been to hospital a few times since I’ve been here and the staff have always been alright. There’s nothing I would change here for myself, I’m very satisfied with it here. I go to the hospital gym. I don’t really like swimming.