Fundamental Flaws In The Nhs Psychiatric System | Letters

I americium disappointed to publication specified a scathing reappraisal of Bella Jackson’s book Fragile Minds (A furious battle connected NHS psychiatry, 30 June). It is simply a difficult read, and yet I thought that Jackson wrote astir her experiences pinch compassion for some patients and unit unwittingly caught up successful erratic and overstretched services.

I americium a doctor, pinch acquisition arsenic a psychiatric diligent and arsenic a elder “staff grade” expert connected an acute psychiatric ward. My memoir, Unshackled Mind: A Doctor’s Story of Trauma, Liberation and Healing, confirms Jackson’s claims that abuses do hap successful these places. More subtly, location is simply a continued reliance connected nan disease-centred exemplary of biomedical psychiatry without capable attraction paid to nan circumstances and adversities suffered by patients earlier they ever came successful interaction pinch psychiatry. As a result, my ain early trauma was unaddressed for much than 20 years, while I was subjected to progressively damaging interventions, including electroconvulsive therapy and moreover a cingulotomy. It is only since leaving psychiatry that I have been capable to recover.

Jackson’s book is simply a reminder that contempt nan champion intentions, galore patients are failing to get nan thief they request successful a fundamentally flawed psychiatric system.
Dr Cathy Wield
Abingdon, Oxfordshire

I americium penning to congratulate Dr Rachel Clarke for her fantabulous rebuttal of Bella Jackson’s battle connected nan failings of modern psychiatry. I person worked arsenic nan caput of intelligence wellness rule for a ample NHS spot for 35 years, and arsenic a predominant visitant to intelligence wellness wards, wholly work together that Jackson’s views are astatine likelihood pinch my experience. I was past connected a secure, forensic intelligence wellness ward conscionable a fewer days agone – pinch incredibly challenging patients.

All nan unit I encountered were not only humane, but kind, compassionate and caring. I’ve besides worked successful roles wherever I visited galore hospitals and person almost without objection knowledgeable nan same. Our intelligence wellness nurses and psychiatrists, arsenic good arsenic truthful galore others, spell retired of their measurement to show nan aforesaid values.

I americium acold from naive, and recognise that location is simply a mini number of individuals who neglect to unrecorded up to nan aforesaid halfway values. Over decades I person witnessed interactions wherever psychiatrists, nurses and others are challenged to a grade that mightiness look almost intolerable to header with, but they emergence to nan situation pinch awesome skill, kindness and compassion, successful statement pinch their respective master codes of conduct.
Kevin Towers
Head of intelligence wellness rule and data protection officer, West London NHS Trust

I’m penning successful consequence to nan reappraisal by Rachel Clarke, particularly nan proposal that nan memoir is “scaremongering”. I americium a advisor objective scientist pinch much than 20 years’ acquisition successful nan NHS crossed respective London-based trusts. I train people, including ward unit and situation services, successful moving efficaciously pinch group pinch characteristic disorder. Similar stories to those that Bella Jackson relates are reported to maine and colleagues regularly. I don’t uncertainty nan veracity of Jackson’s complaint, nor that NHS intelligence wellness is successful a dire state; it is absorbing that Clarke does, fixed her admittance of comparatively scant intelligence wellness experience.
Name and reside supplied