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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The Priory - AIBU?!

76 replies

secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:05

Okay so changed my name for this...

To try and cut a long story short, I'm fucking fuming.

So last year I was sent to The Priory mental health unit. For those of you who don't know what this is, The Priory is a private company who supplies rehab, mental health unit etc. Celebrities use this.

I was very unwell last year, and there were no bed spaces under the NHS. So the NHS actually funded me to stay there at a disgusting rate of £600 a day.

In that time, I ended up having what I now realise is an inappropriate relationship with a psychiatric nurse at this hospital.

I was there for severe PTSD from a sexual assault. I was psychotic, hallucinating the lot.

This member of staff took advantage of me big time. I had been raped, he knew this, but still thought it was ok to have a relationship with me? I don't remember a lot, I was on a lot of medications at the time and the hospital would just drug you up.

So the hospital found out and suspended him instantly then struck him off. I've tried to put in complaint after complaint. All I want is a public apology and they won't give it to me.

They've turned off their ability to leave reviews on their page, the hospital page has disappeared.

When I got a bit better I reported them to CQC governing body. In the last month, I've been informed that they are now under investigation.

I saw so much bad shit there, patients left to harm themselves. One patient was left for 2 hours banging her head against the wall because they couldn't be bothered to intervene. She was a schizophrenic.

I don't even know why I'm posting about this, I'm just so angry that they won't even acknowledge anything. It was an even more traumatic time being there than if I was left alone.

AIBU for pushing this after so many months to get my apology?

OP posts:
WhatNowRandy · 05/05/2019 11:14

I'm sorry you had to go through that - the reasons for having to go in, and then not being treated professionally.

YANBU to want an apology and to pursue it, but it's likely you won't get one. The person getting struck off and the place being under investigation is very positive, and you might just be putting yourself under more stress to pursue more, if it's not realistic it will happen. (My comment is just based on usually hearing from people who have tried to complain that nothing at all has happened, not even an admission that there has been anything wrong, only a closing of ranks, so I am cynical about these things.)

Are you getting any treatment now?

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:19

I'm still getting treatment but at home now. I'm a lot better than I was and finally able to make sense of what happened.

A massive part of me does feel I need to let this go, but for some reason I can't. They have closed ranks and I've tried taking the complaint further to the next stage, but somehow it keeps getting bounced back to the hospital director.

I've not been told why it's under investigation by CQC. Apparently I'm not allowed to know why. They are just carrying out a whole new inspection and what disclosed what triggered it.

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Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:20

Sorry that last bit is meant to say "and won't disclose what triggered it"

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OneStepSideways · 05/05/2019 11:23

I'm so sorry you've been through this. But I think you're unreasonable to want a 'public apology' when the nurse has already been struck off and dismissed.

The NHS relies on Priory beds when there's a bed shortage. I've heard lots of good things about the Priory from patients who've stayed there.

As for the head banging incident, did you report it to the nurse in charge?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 05/05/2019 11:25

When you say 'struck off'..do you mean the nursing register ?

as in he should no longer be around vulnerable people.

If not,please make a referral/complaint

www.nmc.org.uk/concerns-nurses-midwives/concerns-complaints-and-referrals/member-public-referral/

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:27

I reported everything and it all got dismissed. The head banging incident was only one of many.

I've heard too many bad things about The Priory. I know for a fact that a lot of the staff require no previous experience and are only offered two weeks training in mental health. It's just shocking that the NHS pay and put their trust into companies like this to look after their patients. I think that's what truly annoys me.

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WhatNowRandy · 05/05/2019 11:28

It's totally upto you. I don't think there's really any unreasonableness on your behalf whichever way you go. If pursuing it further is important, and you think will help you, that's good. If it's making you more sick and stressed, than having told all you need to the authorities, it's also okay to focus on yourself and your own recovery. Flowers

For what it's worth - I'm not surprised if The Priory has its issues. I've come across people who have gone there privately, thinking they'll have better treatment than they would on the NHS, but have actually ended up having considerably less treatment, psychiatrist involvement etc than someone with their diagnosis under NHS usually does. It's still really shocking you were abused on a ward!

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:28

@IamtheDevilsAvocado the police became involved and his DBS now states he can't work with vulnerable adults and children ever again.

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Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:31

@WhatNowRandy I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't heard terrible things. But yes, you'd expect better treatment for the cost that's being paid.

It did start on the ward, nothing physical happened until I was finally sent back to NHS as they had a bed. He apparently thought that because I wasn't at that unit anymore he could continue even knowing I was still a patient in a unit elsewhere.

It makes me feel physically sick that I got sucked into it.

OP posts:
Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:33

During my time there, I saw a doctor once and that lasted ten minutes. Under the NHS I was visited daily by a doctor.

Can't believe people are paying for this shit.

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IrishGal21 · 05/05/2019 11:39

Sorry to hear this happened to you so shocking. Someone I knew went there for £350 an hour therapy and came out much worse they made them think they had had a bad childhood and they started to 'remember' incidents that had happened to them and it created a lot of grief for the family....of course none of it ever happened.

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:41

@IrishGal21 something very similar happened to a patient I befriended there. She went in with mild depression and ended up being sectioned and forced to have Electro Convulsive Therapy against her will.

OP posts:
Supersimpkin · 05/05/2019 11:48

Which Priory was it?

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:50

Kneesworth House Hospital in Cambridge

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Notinmyduty · 05/05/2019 11:51

I was referred to the Priory by a Psychiatrist who sat on their board - he seemed to think I'd be impressed by their frequent mentions in celeb magazines. He said I was suffering from PND but I'd recovered by the time I received an appt. He encouraged me to go as they had a nice gym and the private medical insurance would pay for me to attend 2 days a week while my babies were in nursery. I wasn't impressed - it felt totally unethical.

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:53

@Notinmyduty haha really? That's typical of them. The unit I was in wasn't anything like that. Poorly maintained, no resources. We had access to boiling water and one girl poured it all over herself on purpose. That was a medium secure unit...

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Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 11:57

The more I'm writing about it, the more I'm so upset by what happened to others. We are meant to be safe in these places and we are completely disregarded by these untrained employees.

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OldAndWornOut · 05/05/2019 12:01

CQC will be thoroughly checking through their practices and procedures and paperwork with a fine tooth comb (hopefully) and a bad report from them will have a huge impact.

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 12:03

@OldAndWornOut I so hope you are right. Their previous inspection was stated as "needs improvement" from early 2018.

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Tryingandfailing · 05/05/2019 12:05

@secretnameoops that is utterly appalling and you deserve a full apology. They are failing their patients!

If you have the strength to do it, please complain the your local clinical commissioning group. I believe that they fund most mental health services and they are responsible for assuring the safety and quality of services that they pay for. If you dont get the response you need from them you can take it further to the health service ombudsman. You should also copy your complaints to your MP.

You are not unreasonable to keep pushing on this. You are brave to do so as you will hopefully prevent the harm continuing for others.

I had to make a complaint about health care services before. It was upsetting and draining but in the end I got a good response.

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 12:09

@Tryingandfailing thank you! It is very draining to keep going over old stuff, and it was very traumatic to be a part of and witness.

I'll keep pushing for the other patients because this can't continue.

When I told the NHS hospital I was under, they apologised straight away and were in shock. I told them they didn't need to apologise because they weren't to know. I'm just hoping they don't use that hospital anymore for emergency bed spaces.

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crankyhousewife · 05/05/2019 12:27

I stayed in that hospital two years ago and hated every minute I was there. I was under a section so couldn't even leave the ward and it was boiling. I was actually quite traumatised by my stay. As you say it costs the NHS £££s so you'd really hope for better.

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 12:32

@crankyhousewife I'm sorry you had a similar experience at the same place! I've since found out it's against regulations to keep sectioned patients indoors. They did this to a patient I was with, kept her locked indoors for two weeks even though there was a garden. While I was there, that garden had an unlocked gate constantly left open. Patients would run out at escape, I was one of them. Then they'd chase after you and threaten to keep you in longer as a result. Every day I made a comment about it and the last day I was there, they finally called in a company to fix a lock.

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Fudgenugget · 05/05/2019 12:43

The Priory group are shit. Their Ticehurst hospital is Sussex was heavily fined for not keeping a 14 year old client safe.

www.theargus.co.uk/news/17346678.healthcare-group-facing-huge-fine-after-death-of-girl-14/

It doesn’t help you @secretnameoops but I think the NHS should step away from the Priory group until they get their shit in order.

Original poster
secretnameoops · 05/05/2019 12:47

@Fudgenugget I read this this other day and I think that's what's triggered me to be angry all over again. It's everywhere and nothing is being done.

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