Hospital not allowing visiting at the weekend

[cheerypip]

A close family member is a long stay inpatient in psychiatric hospital. He has just been moved to a new ward and I have been informed that they don't usually allow visits at the weekend.

It's a 5 hour round trip to visit and I work full time, so weekends are all I have.

I thought family contact was supposed to be an important part of mental health recovery. AIBU?

How do you know that?

@SummerDays2020 take a person that's being detained under section out somewhere?

Of course, what could possibly go wrong with that!

Hi OP - I appreciate this must be really frustrating, but for places like this, security and safety will be paramount and if they don't have the right number of staff, then they just won't be able to allow visits, unfortunately.

Can you contact your relative any other way? Does he have internet or phone access?

Hospital policy is hospital policy. This may be because of staffing ratios, safety, etc,. If you can't come see them during visiting hours, can you call them? Or write letters/send cards? Just little things to let them know you are thinking of them and support them?

@SummerDays2020 more than one person on this thread has spoken about your attitude, why do you think that is?

Yes, of course. As the patient is stable he most likely has leave, especially accompanied. In that circumstance you can take them out. Leave isn't decided on a case by case basis in most circumstances.

When I was under section I was in a ward with a mix of patients who were and weren’t. I was also allowed to go out with family to cafes or for a bit of shopping.

Who have I jumped on? Only those that have chosen to criticise me for no reason whatsoever. This is a place where everyone can share not only certain people. The more people share their experience the more of a nuanced view the OP will get. I've never been on a thread where people can't discuss or add to previous comments!

That's not OK.

There is currently a live CQC consultation about visiting in hospitals and care homes. It has 10 days left to run.

I've put the link below if anyone wishes to add their view.

cqc.citizenlab.co/projects/cqc-visiting-guidance-consultation

The point of quoting is if you are commenting on that post, which I was. No need to get offended at me quoting your post. Did you think I was commenting to you? If someone is doing that they will write - @doilooklikeicare I wasn't saying your experience was wrong if that's what your thought. Your experience is your experience but people do discuss and comment on other posts. I was only sat your experience wasn't universal just so OP knew. I was saying nothing about you or your experience.

I think you’re showing your ignorance around mental health and sections and as a result your input isn’t in the least bit helpful to op.

@SummerDays2020 calm down, you've been commented on by at least three people on this thread!

you had been sectioned under the mental health act for being a risk to yourself and / or a risk to others?

and they allowed you out with family or for shopping?

Did you have to seek doctors authority to do so?

Bugger all knowledge?! 😂

I'm a mental health nurse.

@SummerDays2020 who have you jumped on? It's everyone else that's the issue is it? Of course it is!

you’re talking out your arse

Staffing. It’s not all about yoj

You think psychiatric patients don't go out on day trips?! What is your experience exactly?!

sure you are
sure you are

you blatantly would have led with that in your very first post not much later when a number of us are 🤔 at your “advice”

I’ll quote the OP as I’m sure they didn’t post to read one poster in particular jumping all over everyone.

@cheerypip I’d contact the ward. We had similar when my sister was in hospital. The ward she was in didn’t allow visits but we could still visit, they brought her to a family meeting space which had a garden etc to walk round. The visits had to be booked I suppose so they knew who was visiting when and needed to make sure they had staff available to accompany her to the family room.

The OP’s husband is evidently on a closed ward (very common for a psychiatric unit) if they’ve stipulated something as strict as no visiting over the weekends

And you think a day trip is on the cards

Completely normal.

Seems some people on this thread like to think they know all about psychiatric health but clearly know very little.

all my visits to my father had to be booked and he was not on a closed ward

If he's stable then yes, he probably is allowed out for at least a few hours. You'd be horrified at the things my sectioned patients get up to!

Absolute rubbish