Mental health unit restraints made me more unwell, Fishguard patient says

Francesca Murphy was still wearing her uniform when she was admitted to the adult psychiatric ward.

She was 18, still in school, and very scared.

Mind Cymru said it had concerns about staff shortages, care planning and the use of restraints in inpatient psychiatric units across Wales.

The Welsh Government has announced it will invest £2 million into the improvements.

Murphy, now 27, said his life has changed dramatically since the 2014 yachting accident.

After the boat capsized, she found herself trapped underneath it with the rope wrapped around her ankles.

She was rescued and physically OK, but her mental state rapidly deteriorated, leading to self-harm and a suicide attempt.

She was admitted to a children and adolescent inpatient unit but was released back into society the day before her 18th birthday.

Since then she has spent time in various inpatient psychiatric units across Wales and England, both voluntarily and under ad-hoc care.

“I was what they call a revolving door patient,” said Murphy, from Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.

After she went missing, she was taken into police custody and briefly admitted to hospital, only to be released two days later.

“The circle just keeps going round and round,” she added.

The longest she was in hospital was six to seven months.

Without the support she received from a psychotherapist, she said, she wouldn’t be here today.

But she also said some of her experiences at the hospital, where she was physically and drug restrained, were traumatic.

She was restrained in a face-down position at least twice.

Restraints and restrictive practices should always be a last resort and attempts should be made to pre-emptively defuse volatile situations.

“[It was] “It was terrifying. Three men and a woman grabbed my limbs, gave me injections, sedated me and then talked to me to try and calm the situation,” she said.

“At one point I clearly remember hearing a voice say, ‘Let her in the room.

“I’m still trying to get over the memories of the sailing accident and having something wrapped around my ankle just triggers everything that happened.”

“It’ll get worse.”

Murphy agreed that improvements were needed in inpatient psychiatric units.

She said consistency of care and clear communication are crucial.

“If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Don’t say you’re going to do something and then not do it.”

“I was lucky to find some great therapists who looked at me holistically and they also worked with my family, which a lot of professionals wouldn’t talk to,” she said.

She also said there was a lack of training on eating disorders in general psychiatric wards.

Murphy has now been released from mental health services and is back on the water, working two jobs and also working as a sailing coach.

“I want to speak up for those who are no longer here.”

she New report from Mind Cymru It focuses on inpatient psychiatric wards in Wales.

Concerns were raised about staff shortages, lack of data and general care and safety.

The charity found that 13 of 18 hospitals are facing problems due to staff shortages into 2022-23, which are having a negative impact on patients.

It also said more comprehensive data collection is needed on inpatient care and restraints, particularly on race and other protected characteristics to address inequities and discrimination.

The report outlined several areas where improvement is needed, including the need to align restrictive practices laws with English law.

Across the border, the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018, known as the Seni Act, aims to protect patients from disproportionate and inappropriate use of force.

In Wales, the guidance is not statutory.

Simon Jones, from Mind Cymru, said the guidelines in Wales were similar but needed to become a legal obligation.

“The statutory element will provide greater legal protection and make the data collected more transparent. If we get that in Wales it will really make it clear what is going on,” he added.

The Welsh Government said improving mental health safety and quality was a priority.

The company said this was reflected in a £2 million investment to drive service improvements, including its mental health patient safety programme.

“We recently consulted on a draft Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which has been developed in collaboration with a range of partners, including service users and carers, and sets out our vision for improvement over the next 10 years,” it added.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness or self-harm, help is available at the following sites: BBC Action Line