8 Years of Punishment in Cygnet Hospital (Guest Post)

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION

DIABOLICAL: This could happen to YOU:

CASE STUDY: E.T.
FACTS:

Mummy’s Helper: Is like a mum to two younger Brothers.

DAILY CHORES: Tidy / Clean, ironing Etc.
FREE TIME: 0-5%

AGE 14:
2004: RAN AWAY from AGGRESSIVE Dad.
HAPPY: Lived with Nan for 6 months.
No problems: Punctual √ Honest √ Helpful √ Aggressive X Wants to be a nurse.
(Photo, on left, in white top – taken then)
FORCED to return to Mum.

2005: RAN AWAY at 10am in PJ’s whilst Mum at work.
(REASON: Not known by Nan until 2017):
(Fled STEP-DAD’s unwanted sexual advances).
NO (statutory) INVESTIGATION DONE WHY she was HOMELESS.

She was BLAMED & FALSELY ACCUSED by Mum: “… she is an attention seeking drama queen…” & not questioned by Children’s Services’s Trainee Social Worker (sw).

NAN BLAMED by Mum (scape goated): “it’s all her fault.” Nan not questioned by sw.

NOT ALLOWED to live with NAN.

REFUSED TO GO “HOME”:
(Drunk) Mum & sw in Charge of “Plan”:
Ensured NO help available
to “Force her back home” – police used.

ON STREETS approx 3 MONTHS:
In TERRIBLE State.
Terrified / Forced back to Dad, locked in.
Ran away. Terrified / Forced back to Dad again. Ran away.

Nan complained (in writing) sw has got it VERY WRONG. Stage 2 Complaint IGNORED by Children’s Services.

Nan told “you have no rights – you are only a grandmother.”

INCARCERATED for approx 2 MONTHS:
DUMPED & Locked IN a disused empty former children’s home, kept in ISOLATION. Only equipment / activity: A snooker table. Promised access to Education by sw but that never happened. CONTACT with Nan restricted.

ACCUSED of thumping sw.
FOUND GUILTY (at Magistrate’s court).
Terrified. Sent to SECURE UNITS in UK,
many miles away from family & friends.
ISOLATED: Contact with Nan not allowed.

Inmate advised: Self Harm to PROTEST UNJUST INCARCERATION.

AGE 17: PUT in St ANDREW’s, Northampton, DIAGNOSIS: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) (has one symptom – self harming; need minimum of 5 symptoms to meet criteria).
(Done as label, to invalidate).

DETAINED under Mental Health Act, on SECTION 3: “for own safety”
(by Children’s Services, before handed over to Adult Services):

Placed in care of (Mental Health) CARE MANAGER: NO INVESTIGATION DONE.

PUT in Cygnet hospital, Beckton.

Transferred to Cygnet hospital, Stevenage:
INADEQUATE SAFEGUARDING:
7 YEARS: “ALLOWED to self-harm” by staff, paid for one-one Care.

Every protest IGNORED.

ALLOWED Weekend Leave to stay with ALCOHOLIC MUM (still desperately needs to be reunited & loved by MUM).

Still FEARS for brothers welfare.
Still too scared & distrusting to confide in staff.

REPORTS: BAD FLASHBACKS
DIAGNOSIS: PTSD

PROMISED Supported Housing, in Community, “if your mum gives permission… No later than November 2016.”

HAPPILY LOOKING FORWARD to having a Home – a long awaited Fresh Start.
STOPS SELF HARMING for 7 MONTHS.

Still NO ASSESSMENT DONE for Community Treatment Order (CTO).

RAN AWAY from MUM. Fled to hospital.
Promised Transfer to Cygnet’s Keystoke hospital in Weston Super Mare, to be nearer Nan, in South Devon.

October 2016: FORCIBLY TRANSFERRED to Cygnet hospital, in Derby. “Arrived with NO CASE HISTORY only medical notes.”

OVERLY STRICT SAFEGUARDING IMPOSED:
ALL LEAVE CANCELLED (inexplicably).
FORCED to stay on locked BPD ward
24/7 x 365 days a year:

NO Fresh Air, No Exercise, No Outings, No Nature, No Nurture, No interesting Activities, No Access to Education, No Structure.

EXTREME BOREDOM.
Nothing to do except Fester.

WANTS TRANSFER: “I HATE it here…”

“Nan identified as very important person.”
Nan gives hospital sw a truthful (written) family history.

Nan Visits: 1st Time Allowed to See each other in 11 YEARS.
Nan ACCEPTED as ACTING NR.

Nan SHOCKED & APPALLED: She is unrecognisable due to excessive weight gain, caused by dangerous levels of medications, & HORRIFIED she is covered in visible (weeping) scars, her physical condition / general health is so poor.

Nan sends a tube of Savlon. Staff confiscate it. “Only E45 cream is allowed.”

Nan Complains re: PUNITIVE REGIME etc:
Formally requests REVIEW OF CARE & TREATMENT PLAN & a 2nd opinion by INDEPENDENT expert re: Misdiagnosis (as label & punishment regime is sharply resented).

Nan submits a written Care Plan she believes will work. IGNORED by staff.

Nan promised a reward system will be tried. NOT IMPLEMENTED.

One-to-One Care REQUESTED.
TOLD: “Derby only do 15 minute observations.”

SELF HARMING ESCALATES – there are several SERIOUS SUICIDE ATTEMPTS:
“… staff only just manage to bring her back using CPR…” PUNISHED CRUELLY for “upsetting staff.”

CQC COMPLAINT: MEDS have caused OBESITY & DIABETES Type 11,
NOT ALLOWED TO DIET, irresponsible strain on heart by Clinician.
IGNORED by staff.

Staff continue to ALLOW online shopping for consumption of unlimited supply of sugary products.

CQC COMPLAINT by SOLICITOR:
URGENT TRANSFER NEEDED.
IGNORED.

Told Nan’s SOLICITOR is denied access to CPA meeting to discuss (false) “progress” with NHS FUNDER.

UPSET: RESTRAINED, ACUPHASED 3 TIMES by Forcible Injection – each time rendered UNCONSCIOUS.

INACCURATE REPORTS SUBMITTED by staff.
(same old lies copy & pasted).
NHS Funder appeased by promises of “progress in 6 months” & introduction of SKYPE to reduce isolation.

TRIBUNAL CANCELLED.
TRANSFER REFUSED.

SKYPE NOT ORGANISED (only happened after 6 month Delay: 3 or 4 times).

Nan requests (same) CARE MANAGER investigates UNJUST punishment since Age 15.
RESPONSE: Care Manager casts doubt on Nan. Refuses to communicate with Nan.

Nan aware ADVOCATE on ward is not independent. Nan asks advocate outside of Cygnet to visit. Ignored. Nan asks solicitor to arrange advocate. Action gets blocked.

Nan told not to complain as staff take it out on patients. “Do as I do, bite your tounge.”

MECHANICAL RESTRAINTS:
BOTH ARMS put in uncomfortable RIGID CASTS (at same time) for total of 6 MONTHS = (AVERSION) PUNISHMENT / Humiliation, to discourage / make self harming / doing anything for self: Impossible.

OPEN WOUND: Stabbed in stomach in past, keeps opening wound. Inserted objects left inside wound, contracts MRSA, nursed in isolation on the ward.

Nan works with staff / receives many distressing phone calls – each time helps STABILISE situation.
She is TOLD OFF by staff for confiding in Nan.

Nan notes “new” Care Plan makes NO mention of anything requested.

Still Wants NO CONTACT with DAD. Told by staff he is still legally her NEAREST RELATIVE (NR).

SOLICITOR arranges Court Hearing to Displace existing NR so Nan can be made NR.
(Still not clear who her NR is legally – staff argue it is a man at Children’s Services).

COURT HEARING STOPPED: Hospital’s sw UNJUSTLY casts doubt on Nan’s suitability (but allows Nan to continue as Acting NR). Legal Aid funding for Hearing withdrawn.

Death on same ward (her best friend with a Eating Disorder is found dead).

Nan aware “staff don’t care.”
“ONLY WAY OUT OF HERE IS IN A BODY BAG.” “I’d be better off dead…”

Nan puts hospital On Notice, in writing. Cygnet object to “tone” – Nan threatened (in writing) with police. Staff told Nan has abused staff. Staff refuse to communicate with Nan.

NOSEDIVES:
2nd time, tries to block airway TO ESCAPE PLACE BY DYING. Foreign object gets stuck in right side of her chest – too painful to move, hurts to breathe. 6 HOURS later Nan by chance phones her, then Nan calls ward to report Emergency to staff. Nan told to write a letter. Nan calls 999, staff cancel ambulance. Police refuse to do a welfare check. Safeguarding Adults ignore call. Denied access to proper medical attention for 3 days.

Complaints to CQC requesting URGENT INTERVENTION: Receipt acknowledged, no action reported to complainants.

Staff try to further ALIENATE Nan.
ISOLATION INCREASED: Mobile phone taken, staff open & keep mail, (rare) visits from friend cancelled, “not allowed a visit at Xmas, until after New Year.”

QUALITY OF LIFE: 0-5%

NO Human Rights Respected
(has same rights as a vegetable).

Is this a case of Habeous Corpus?

DURING 8 YEARS in Cygnet: GETS THE WRONG CARE & TREATMENT:

Still No HELP / Psychotherapy for PTSD / being Traumatised.

Still in THE WRONG ENVIRONMENT:
In a Hospital setting: Alarming!
Continually RE-TRAUMATISED.

“Out of Area,” very lonely, frightened, brow beaten. (Some) Sadistic staff
ENJOY ABUSE OF POWER:
ridicule / jeer belittle / bully =

ALL TRIGGERS self harming.

OBVIOUS PATTERN: A VICIOUS CIRCLE: Cygnet use to advantage:
“She Can’t be Discharged, she is not safe.”

Staff Provoke, Antagonise – try to cause / evoke Aggression (from docile vulnerable patient) to overcome / hide NEGLECT by getting exoneration via her being Reclassified as “dangerous.”

INCIDENT: Staff member claims “for no reason” was pushed & wrist hurt. Nan told staff member was being horrible & laughing at her for self harming. This “dangerous” patient has now been charged. Due to appear in court, December 2017.

Nan posted on Facebook Desperately Seeking Advice.

PETITION: GET HER OUT OF CYGNET “hospital” TO SAVE HER LIFE.
15,000 Signatures in 2 weeks.

Nan gets withheld contact details for NHS Special Commissioning Group Funder & Review doctor. Both are happy to speak to Nan.

BPD “Diagnosis Annual Review” done for 1st? time.

Review Doctor tell Nan he has too many patients to visit in UK. He IS KEEN “out of area” patients RETURN to area, in a COMMUNITY setting.

He Cites LACK of SUPPORTED HOUSING & SECURE beds in COMMUNITY
as REASON why patients are PUT
“OUT OF AREA.”

REVIEW DOCTOR wants time to do PLAN (to achieve a move back to Devon):
Conditions:
Must stop self harming for 6 months.
All parties must work together.
SOLUTION PROPOSED: NO details given.

Nan does NOT want any more Empty promises.

TOLD by lead Psychologist on ward,
“you are the most difficult patient…”
A TRANSFER to a MEDIUM or HIGHER SECURITY psychiatric hospital is IMMINENT – you will have to wear a rip proof suit & if you refuse to eat, you will be force fed. The funder & review doctor agree to this plan.

TERRIFIED / TRAUMATISED.

Funder & Review Doctor deny knowledge of this plan (to Nan) but say the Psychologist is not lying or saying that to terrify her.

ONLY place can be transferred to:
St ANDREWS? (Has a dreadful reputation).

WHAT IS HER FUTURE?
DO these “care providers” CARE?

CQC RATING of Cygnet Hospital in Derby: Good.

OMG.

HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE TRAPPED in this way? IMPRISONED unfairly within confines of psychiatric institutions with pleasant FACADES, controlled by powerful operators, ABUSING & Exploiting the difficulties of legally implementing the protections & guidance of the Mental Health Act, aware there is Ineffective monitoring as BAD standards are accepted as normal in this rapidly growing SINISTER Industry?

BIG PROBLEM:
The NHS is Promoting Privatisation of patient services by pouring huge amounts of money into private “hospitals” that are allowed to put shareholders profits before patient’s Real Needs, contrary to the Patients Best Interests – causing little or no actual Rehabilitations due to lengths of stays being (covertly & deliberately) MAXIMISED.

PETITION

Leave a Reply