"Entire staff do their best"

I have been a patient at Wathwood medium secure mental health hospital on the Assessment Ward for a year now. Whilst being here UI have had many ups and downs. I came here on a section 47-49 which is a prison section. When I found out I was to come to hospital from prison I was well against the idea because all I had in mind was a whole new environment similar to prison but with loads of medication and something called liquid cosh. My original thoughts could not be more wrong. When I arrived at Wathwood I was greeted by a calm atmosphere and respectful staff who would do anything to help you.

Naturally I rebelled at first and had numerous fights and assaults on both staff and patients as my mental health got worse and different drugs were tried for me but none of them seemed to work for me. It was looking like I was too referred to a high security hospital which made me buck my ideas up. At the same time as this they put me on a very modern drug called alapiprosol, and this drug seemed to work miracles on me and let me notice that the staff were there to help me and not against me. After a while I started to get off ward access which meant I could do things like go to the gym and meet up with other wards to play snooker, pool and table tennis

Throughout my journey at Wathwood I was always suspicious of staff and other patients until recently when I started to settle in to the atmosphere rather than try to fight it.

Wathwood is a great hospital and the entire staff do their best to help in whatever is troubling you. They are always open to suggestions and willingly take on advice, I would go as far as to say they encourage advice from the patients and appreciate when you speak out and voice your views on any matter big or small.

Wathwood is also a well-equipped hospital with OT’s (occupational therapists) doing activities with your ward round every day Monday to Friday, table tennis and play stations on the ward.

To any prisoner or any person on the out who knows they are going to a hospital, Ii know you are probably dreading it but I promise you there is no need to. Of course it has it down side but if you were left with a mental health problem then it would be worse than going to hospital and for people like me who is scared of all the medication, don’t be. There is obviously medication involved in your treatment but it is not that bad and they do wear off and when you start to get better you will thank the people in charge and you will thank the medication, I know I do. I do not know if other hospitals are as good as Wathwood but I am told by a reliable source that they are not that bad. I am lucky enough to come to Wathwood which has won multiple awards in everything from its treatment to its catering.

I thank all the staff at Wathwood for all they have done for me honestly before I came here I was really paranoid and it started to wreck relationships between friends and family.. I thought everyone was out to get me and kill me, but I see now all those things were wrong and to any people reading or hearing about this then please don’t worry you may be feeling bad right now but things will get better with the correct treatment.

That is some of the things that go on here or somewhere similar. I say embrace it and make the most of it because they are here to help.