"Staff are willing - but we lack funds"

November 9, 2006

Inpatient psychiatric wards are underfire for often being untherapeutic and unsafe (see Healthcare Commission audit and Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health report, below)

In response, bodies representing mental health professionals have, themselves, initiated a drive to improve the conditions of UK psychiatric wards.

At this month's Mental Health Today conference, Adam James spoke to three delegates on their experience of inpatient psychiatric wards.

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Read for yourself:

May 2005: Healthcare Commission's 2005 audit on violence in psychiatric and learning disability inpatient wards and units (pdf)

May 2005: Sainsbury Centre For Mental Health's Acute Care 2004 report, released in My 2005 (pdf)

See also:
Oct 30, 2006: Mental health professionals launch scheme to improve psychiatric wards - professional bodies say “something must be done” to improve wards

Oct 6, 2006: Quarter of psychiatric patients have no access to hospital garden - some banned as punishment, says Mind report

July 21, 2006: Alleged rapes of NHS psychiatric patients “truly shocking” - outrage as report claims 11 of 19 alleged rapes were by staff.

April 27, 2006: Give mental health nurses more time with patients, government review urges - nurses should also cut back on administrative work, says chief nursing officer Christine Beasley ((left)

March 1, 2006: Daily meetings between staff and patients heralded as way to improve psychiatric wards - new report also includes details of ward round code aiming to ensure rounds are less intimidating

Jan 12, 2006: Half of psychiatric in-patient wards full, report says - Mental Health Act Commission also states wards are understaffed and have unpleasant environments

Dec 21, 2005: Mental health nurses and patients head bids to improve wards - funds allocated to spruce up corridors, waiting areas and wards, and to construct gardens and "quiet spaces"

Dec 7, 2005: Every female patient in study of mixed-sex psychiatric wards reported abuse, study claims- University of London researchers questioned staff and patients in 16 medium secure units

Mental health comment:
June 6, 2005: Our acute problem - Want to end the culture of violence on inpatient psychiatric wards? Then set up more non-medical alternatives to hospital care, argues Rufus May

May 25, 2005: One third of mental health staff have threatened to use medication or seclusion to control psychiatric patients' behaviour - findings released in Healthcare Commission audit exposing culture of violence on wards

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