Imagine reaching a point in your life where you are struggling so much with your mental heath that you need to be admitted to hospital. You are frightened, vulnerable and desperately need support. You trust that the people caring for you will keep you safe, treat you with compassion and help you begin to recover. Now imagine feeling neglected, unsafe, dismissed and unheard in the very place that is supposed to protect you when dealing with a mental health crisis.

Behind every hospital admission is a human being. Someone’s child, son or daughter, someone’s friend, someone’s loved one. Someone who is fighting battles that others may not see. These are people who deserve patience, understanding, appropriate care, dignity and compassion - not to feel that their suffering is being overlooked. Service users are often at their most vulnerable when they enter inpatient care. They may struggle to advocate for themselves, challenge poor treatment or find the words to explain what they are experiencing in hospital. That makes it even more important that their concerns are listened to, their safety is prioritised and their voices are not dismissed.

Specific to Dove Ward here are some examples but are not limited to only these, based on my own experience and other service users: concerns have been made about the way service users are treated by staff, staff not having appropriate training to support people experiencing severe mental health difficulties, safety procedures not being consistently followed by staff including giving service users the wrong medication on multiple occasions or escorting them out of the building when stating they were going to act on suicidal thoughts, vulnerable service users being discharged without adequate support and care plans, and service users being continuously neglected leading to a lack of dignity and care.

This is why I am raising concerns about Dove Ward, Kingfisher Court, and believe there needs to be an independent review of these concerns with former/current service users and families being given the opportunity to share their experiences. Any failings identified MUST be addressed through clear, meaningful action, with transparency and appropriate follow-up. Investigation of similar issues existing in other mental health inpatient services should also be considered, as they are not isolated to Dove Ward. This is a larger issue that needs to be addressed. This is about asking important questions, seeking answers, demanding change and ensuring that service users concerns are not ignored. 

We call for:

• An independent review of the concerns raised about Dove Ward.
• A formal response addressing the raised concerns and identifying any improvements.
• A review of staff training, supervision, safeguarding and compliance with service user safety procedures.
• A clear, time-bound action plan for any improvements identified following the investigation, with appropriate follow-up to assess whether they have been implemented.
• Consideration of similar concerns existing in other mental health inpatient services and what wider improvements may be necessary.

We ask those responsible for commissioning, delivering and regulating mental health services to listen to service users, respond transparently and take meaningful action.

When reading this, you may struggle to relate as you may have never been admitted to a mental health ward yourself or watched someone you love go through a mental health crisis. But one day, you or someone close to you might need that care. We should all be able to trust that when that moment comes, we will be treated with humanity and receive appropriate care. I am asking the general public to stand alongside those who have experienced inpatient mental heath care and support a call for accountability and improvement. 

Please sign and share this petition! Every signature represents another person asking for these concerns to be heard, for appropriate investigations to take place and for meaningful improvements to be made. 

Because struggling mentally is painful enough without feeling alone in the place you went for help.

Because service users should not leave inpatient care feeling worse and with added traumas, than when they first entered.

Because vulnerable people deserve to be protected.

And because being unwell should never mean losing your right to dignity, compassion and safe care.

It is time to listen to service users. It is time to take concerns seriously. It is time to work towards safer mental health wards for everyone.

Have you experienced something similar? Your voice matters.

If you feel you want to speak out and make a difference, I would be grateful to hear your personal experiences of mental health inpatient care. Whether your experience was at Dove Ward or another mental health ward, you can share your story with me, either with your name or anonymously. With your permission, I hope to include your experiences in this campaign to help make change. 

Your story deserves to be heard. Together, we can help make mental health wards safer for everyone.

📧Email: mh.changeincare@gmail.com

*Please note - no names (unless you choose to be named) or personal details will be shared*