Psychiatric inpatient beds

[terrified heart]

I've recently found out that my nearest inpatient psychiatric unit has halved its number of beds. It now only takes 9 males & 9 females. According to my SW, a lot of people from my town are being placed in a hospital 30 miles away. I haven't been in hospital since 2011, and I'm hoping I won't again. I don't know why this is even bothering me, but its made me feel anxious and sad. The local psych ward isn't nice by any means, but I know the staff and would feel safer there in an emergency than on a strange ward miles away. Being in hospital is never nice or ideal, but it has saved my life a number of times.

It just worries me that although MH problems are supposed to on the increase, psych beds are on the decrease. I get that care in the community is improving and has benefits, but I also know that being hospitalised has saved me and others I know before. It just doesn't seem right 

I know this is probably a stupid post. Don't really know what I'm worrying about.

[willow]

Any kind of change can be unsettling hun and especially if it involves something that we might be relying on when we feel our lowest  sometimes it is reassuring to know that familiar things are there if we need them and if that changes it can be unsettling   

Did you talk to your sw about how it made you feel? Xx

[hayley]

Mental health has and always be the poor relation.  Whenever cuts have to be made its always mh budget that gets slashed first. Should you ever need a bed then theres always a chance that you'll strike it lucky and get to stay in your home area.  The main thing is you get to stay safe and if you are 'out of area' the staff will try every day to get you where you should be.

My nearest used to have 36 beds, now theres only 18 and they are shared between men and women - the nurses spend a lot of time moving beds from one side to the other!

[terrified heart]

Thank you both for your replies xx xx

Willow, what you said makes sense. You are very vulnerable and frightened when you're mentally unwell and I agree that familiarity can be a comfort. I've not spoke about it with SW. She just said that my CMHT are not happy that the beds have been cut, as it means the CMHT staff have to use up a lot of time travelling to the other hospital for ward rounds etc. She is off work this week, I'm seeing her again on 21st so I'll talk to her then.

Hayley, thank you for the reassurance. You are right, being safe is the main thing. It saddens me that MH services don't get the budgets they need. I don't want us to go back to the times of asylums and long term admission, but I do think inpatient wards are important. Especially for times of crisis and short term admissions.

Thank you again for the replies xx xx

[unknown_member]

Just to let you know .. we have the same issue here... and I feel the same as you... they are in fact closing completely the hospital I went too... it's a horrible place (used to be an old asylum) long spooky corridors old watch tower etc... but I know it and it helped me when I felt at my worst...

I don't know what they're going to do instead but it will probably be miles away...

I think it's an issue alot of health boards are facing, I agree that at times crisis teams are better than hospital, but inpatient care should still be available when needed..