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?

Thank you all, some really helpful responses.

It was a move to a less acute ward within the same hospital, and visiting (weekend or otherwise) has not been an issue before so I was taken aback when this new ward's policy was explained to me. In fact on the previous ward, weekend visits were preferred as they were unlikely to conflict with other activities or appointments which hapoen during the week.

I'm sure the posters who have said it's probably down to staffing at the weekend are probably correct. It has been immensely helpful to hear the explanation of why a skeleton weekend staff might mean a no visits policy.

Your responses have also helped me sanity check whether I can and should challenge this. I will definitely be speaking to the ward manager next week to try to find a way forward that works for us all - most of all my family member.

Good luck, OP. I'm sure you will be able to come up with something as I'm sure your family member appreciates your support and enjoys seeing you. Best wishes for their continual recovery!

@SummerDays2020 oh give over! You derailed, then said you weren't going to engage and derail any further, then you did!

It's all there for everyone to see!

Some very thoughtful and useful posts for @cheerypip
wishing @cheerypip and her family member all the very best at a difficult time

I agree.

@doilooklikeicare
It is indeed all there for everyone to see. Rather than continuing to derail OPs post if you'd like to talk with me further you can DM me.

@SummerDays2020 why don't you just stand by your word to not derail? Your words, but you're not standing by them, why not?

And please don't DM me (off to check if I can block you!), I really can't be doing with batshit crazy people messaging me! You've too much time on your hands, I don't!

@SummerDays2020 @VeniceTheMenace thanks for your posts. I'm posting from the other side of the fence, as someone who has been sectioned several times, including in more secure units. I've never been somewhere where no visits are allowed at weekends, and I'm extremely pleased to hear that staff understand how important it is for people who are going through very, very dark periods of their lives to have support from loved ones. For me, it has been, literally, life saving.

Thanks for posting that, @Citrusandginger , I will fill it in.

I wish you well and glad to hear your loved ones have been so supportive 😊

When I worked in psych hospitals we had extended visiting at weekends and actively encouraged more/longer visits. For some of our patients, this is the only time they could get visits. Staffing at the weekends was no harder than during the week. This policy sounds really odd.

@bestmoment to be on a psych ward you don't have to be sectioned, you can be voluntary so no section involved.

My friend was sectioned and only select people could visit/phone for updates.

It sounds like a typical mental health unit tbh.
Fewer staff at weekend & visitors can often cause problems eg bringing prohibited items etc.
If he's more stable does he have s17 leave. Might start off being allowed leave for hospital grounds whilst escorted by a relative. You could meet him at the entrance & then have a walk or coffee.
Its impossible to suggest without knowing the exact circumstances. There should be a weekly review/ward round he can attend & if possible take the day off to attend or have video link so you can be involved in these plans.
Weekends are shit on mental health units .

I would speak to mental welfare commission or governing body for where you are in the UK.

It's the universal mantra of NHS mental health services

@SummerDays2020 'Low Secure' is a level of security relative to other types of Secure Unit and are much more rigorous/secure than say locked acute mental health units at local hospitals. Even professional visitors to a Low Secure Unit have to wear special lanyards, deposit their bags in lockers and cannot take phones. There are restrictions on patients possessions, regular searches.
Detained Patients in long stay hospitals (Secure Units or Rehab Units which are the step down from secure) will be individually assessed for the type of leave they can have - many will not have unescorted leave, some will, particularly those on a pathway towards step down or discharge. Leave is most definitely decided on a case by case basis.
I don't believe you are a Mental Health Nurse in the UK at the moment.
OP I do think your relatives human rights are being infringed if they are a detained patient living in a place with a blanket no weekend visits rule. Many of these establishments are run by private companies and it's not good enough. There may be pressure on weekend visits as visits as the visiting room may get booked up, but its not acceptable that the state can deprive someone of their liberty AND their rights to see family/friends who can only visit at weekends. Go to the CQC.

Is it? There shouldn't be blanket rules, the care should be patient focused not ward focused or staff focused.

Ah, well plenty of professionals have confirmed the information I have given is accurate.

I know what 'low secure' is as I work at one and have worked at others too. In my experience, they are pretty on par with an acute. There are restrictions on a patient's possessions in both settings - this will depend on the individual patient but by the end of admission our patients can keep the majority of their possessions. Searching and use of a wand in both settings. Our ward doesn't even have an air lock and it's done on the ward!

There are about 50% with unescorted leave on my ward. Out of those with escorted leave many can be escorted by family. Our patients are risk assessed for the type of leave/duration allowed which must be signed off by the consultant. Of course we informally risk assess a patient before leave commences, but some posters thought the consultant would have to be consulted each time a patient wants to leave the ward - this is not the case.

I'm guessing you're not a mental health nurse, but you can correct me if I'm wrong!

I think most people would be horrified at what goes on at their local mental health unit tbh.
There's lots of 'Shoulds' from CQC, NHS England & NICE guidelines but what actually goes on is shocking.

I don't doubt this is the case at some places. I have seen some awful stuff, I'm not going to lie. However, I don't believe it is universal.

I have been sectioned on several occasions and yes sadly this issue is likely down to staffing. Weekends are notoriously understaffed in Psychiatric wards (probably general wards too). So getting any sort of escorted or unescorted leave at the weekends was often problematic. Absolutely agree with your post - family support and just getting out of the unit for a bit was a crucial part of my recovery, so I'd definitely raise this with the staff. I raised this issue many times as a patient, but unfortunately when you're under a Section you don't have much of a voice. So if family are able to advocate that is a huge support.

It's clear that you really care for and want to support your family member; they are very lucky to have you 💐

I can only see staffing as relevant if the patient's leave is escorted or their visits have to be supervised otherwise just to visit on the ward doesn't cost any more in staff time than for them not to be visited. In fact if some patients are being entertained by family then it is less for staff to do on the whole.

One thing that was mentioned upthread in terms of advocacy was that every detained patient had the right to an IMHA who can advocate for them on questions such as S17 leave and visiting and I have known them to provide effect challenge to such regimes. OP could ask if her relative has been seen by the IMHA.

Just shush ffs, you’re adding nothing to the thread.
Also if you can read they said that you’re welcome to message them, not that they’ll be messaging you.

The OP doesn’t need your pointless bickering, put a sock in it.