Priory Hospital Woodbourne

I was on Maple ward back in spring 2019. Staff did not care - overwhelmingly jaded nurses and HCAs, bar one brilliant HCA whose name I can’t remember, and one mental health nurse (again, whose name I can’t remember). Sadly she was on leave for most of my stay. The rest of the staff didn’t bother to get to know you, they left you lying in bed all day in the dark, and didn’t bother to try to speak to you or support you, just did their half an hour checks to ensure you were still breathing. There was one male bank nurse at the time who was reasonably approachable but clearly for these people it is just a job to them, with no proper understanding of providing sensitive mental health care. I have only been able to fully appreciate this fact now that I am completing a nursing degree. Most of the staff on Maple ward were examples of how not to act professionally.Received no psychological support while on this ward for six weeks, did not get better and was glad to be discharged after realising that I would not receive any support here. Staff were eager to get rid of me so that they could have a bed space - get you in, get you out - like a revolving door for patients. And they wonder why readmission rates are so high. I was given daily medication - that was the extent of my therapy here, the bare minimum duty of the nurse. I missed morning medication twice because staff didn’t bother to ensure that I had it. I guess it didn’t matter to them, as they could falsify medication records and probably note patient refusal, rather than the reality of “patient unconscious because I did not bother to wake them up.”I will say that I was pleased with the care I received from the consultant psychiatrists here. Dr “B” evidently did care and tried to involve me in decision making during ward rounds, including hearing me out regarding my perspective on a differential diagnosis. The locum doctor who covered for him during the first week of my stay on the ward was also warm and clearly cared too. Sadly can’t say the same for the resident doctor there (she was responsible for initial assessments upon admission, can’t remember her name but I remember she was largely cold and unfriendly). However, I remember the discharge nurse at the time was also excellent, diligent and clearly efficient at her job.My worst experiences were with an OT and clinical psychologist. In fact, they were scarring. I should have complained about them in hindsight, but was too unwell. I hope that these individuals no longer work at this hospital so that they cannot further damage other patients.Reflecting on my stay here makes me truly angry in retrospect, in a way I was not able to be when I was so acutely unwell in 2019 and unfamiliar with best practice and the provision of quality standards of care. All in all, the inpatient stay did more harm than good due to staffs’ toxic attitudes and overall apathy. Avoid like the plague, you’ll probably become more unwell.

I would recommend Woodbourne priory oak ward, the staff are lovely especially Maddia, Paul, Maryam, Chelsea, Soren, Olly, as they made the stay a lot easier and they are very understanding. The down side u don’t get a verity of food choices, best place for recovery

I spent 3 months on the adolescent acute ward from May to August 2019.I met some amazing staff and patients who really did help me and I connected to them personally as well. I was given great support. Their main approach was acute mental health however they supported me with other problems such as my eating problems where they gave me meal support and spoke a lot when it got hard with respect and support from most staff.The lack of star is because I arrived informally but wanted to leave so they sectioned me however the second my section ended, they were pushing discharge on me and pressuring me to leave which led to an impulsive discharge from myself and 2 more admissions to different units.I feel like if they had taken things more seriously and supported me until I was safe enough to go home, I wouldn't have had those futher attempts and hospitalizations.Great help and treatment, they just should have worked with me better and assessed my needs. I needed to be kept for longer on that admission and not rushed out to prevent relapse.

So this is the 2nd time my son has been admitted here, the first time I have to say they failed him and then put him into supported living which he got told on the Monday and was out by the Wednesday when I spoke to staff on many occasions they were very very rude. I have just spoken to a lovely lady called Yasmin as it’s my sons birthday to see what he’s allowed WOW what a difference I would give her 100 ⭐️ s she has a hard job but was very polite a lot of colleagues need to take her bed side manners and her work ethic onboard xxx

Horrible hospital where I’m surprised I didn’t loose my life. Luckily both wards I was on have been closed down but I know mulberry ward needs to be sorted out. They would refuse to put me on enhanced obs or use safety clothes meaning they would leave me in the bathroom completely naked and alone. This didn’t only happen to me, on my first day there a patient was walking around completely naked with just a blanket as the staff refused to provide clothing. Used restraints and IM’s unnecessarily but when I was actually distressed they would do nothing. And when they did restrain and IM they would do it in social areas infront of other patients. Absolutely vile place.

A few of my expensive items were damaged in a heinous attack. I have been trying to get them replaced or reimbursed even though the value of these, rare, one of a kind items have increased in value. The ward manager keeps ignoring my attempts at communication and fobs the advocate who is assigned to me.

The stuff very mean and very rude special Maple words they are mean with the visitor and with the patient

I was on mulberry ward for a month and it was awful. We hardly ever got to go outside, groups where inconsistent and staffing was awful. There where permanent staff members who clearly cared but unfortunately they relied heavily on agency who where unprepared and poorly trained. The way incidents where delt with was inadequate and the ward was an unsafe environment in which incidents happened so frequently that it was normal for multiple patients to go to a+e in one week. The patients had to do the staffs jobs because the staff where missing checks and failing to identify warning signs. When incidents did occur they did little to de-escalate and relied heavily on medication and restraint.

was there 3 days and was clearly in the wrong place for my situation. it would go from kids who had just superficially self harmed and were inactively suicidal to kids who were schizophrenic and violent. mixing these kids and grouping them together was counterproductive. staff told me ‘good luck’ getting out and that it ‘would never happen’. they laughed at me for phoning my old camhs workers and mum asking them to arrange for me to go. i arrived at 2am and asked whether the cameras were on because there were cameras all around my room and in the toilet and they lied to me saying they were off in the toilet area, later I found out they were on the whole time. they took all my possessions away and didn’t give them back. i was on my period and had asked for a change of joggers and they said no. they left u in the darkness all day and would come in every 30 mins and no effort to make conversation. no respect for privacy. Luckily i got out after three days. Please avoid this place at all costs x

This review is a reflection of my time spent on Beech ward from October 2022-September 2023.As a whole my experience on this ward was that of a positive one,while being in hospital is an unpleasant experience,I found that the support I received on Beech from the staff was largely positive.I felt listened to during my ward rounds by my consultant and felt he had my best intentions at heart.During MDTs I was always given the opportunity to have a say in my care,and express what I felt my needs were.The OT input numerous times a week in group sessions I found extremely helpful,alongside the opportunity to take part in Yoga and fitness activities,and group DBT sessions,alongside 1-1 psychology sessions.While days on the ward often felt long,I found that staff were willing to engage in games and activities to pass the time,things such as board games,Kareoke,art,baking and taking me on leave.Staff always tried their best to allow us to enjoy special occasions such as Christmas,by decorating the ward,and getting us involved-gestures like this made some of the worst days feel that bit brighter.I built good relationships with the staff,and i will always be appreciative to the support that they offered.I do not like to single people out,as I felt every staff member was important,however one particular Senior HCA,I felt went above and beyond-every single shift,and it is staff like her that are extremely valuable to the running of a ward and embody everything that is needed to be working with people who are experiencing mental health difficulties.Some of the staff I met on this ward I will never forget,their unwavering support and advice I will hold close to me for the rest of my life.