I haven't been an inpatient since Mrs Thatcher closed the asylums where I had spent 17 years as a revolving door patient. At present the almost-new psychiatric inpatient unit in Hastings (called Woodlands) has been closed for a couple of weeks. The unit had two recent suicides and reported abscondings and had been an unpopular place for a long time among patients who I had spoken to. It was a brave and bold decision to terminate this unpleasant situation by closing the unit.
It's unfortunate that there was not a lot of obvious consultation and forewarning, and it is not satisfactory for patients to be located at a distance from their home area, as some now are.
I hope that Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust can make the unit a safe and therapeutic place and reopen it. In the past five years I have had need of extra support, and this was provided at local small-size facilities. I found this to be so much better than hospitalisation, and am pleased with the outcome of that care. Perhaps the trust can look to that if they are reconsidering the shape of intensive service provision.
"Bold decision by Sussex Partnership NHS Trust"
About: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust / Working age mental health care (inpatient) Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Working age mental health care (inpatient) BN13 3EP
Posted by Andy V (as ),
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