AIBU to ask to stay in London for treatment?

[Rebecca496]

Hi all,

I am currently at the A and E department in the Crisis Assessment Unit at a London hospital due to why mental health. I have been feeling a little overwhelmed over the last few days.

The plan is to keep me here over the weekend until a bed in an in-patient ward becomes available in my home county in the midlands, where I would be admitted as an informal (voluntary) patient.

I would be transferred back to my local NHS Trust by paramedics and accompanied for the journey from this London hospital back to the midlands in-patient hospital - possibly on Monday.

The doctor in charge here said that it is not possible to be admitted in London as my GP Surgery and Postcode is not from here, and there is certain politics about NHS Trusts and hospital admissions being expensive and things like that.

I am a little worried about being admitted in my local county, as worried that the treatment would not be good there and that I would be going back to the situation that I was getting away from.

Is there any way that I could be admitted in London to an in-patient mental health ward? Can I plead with the doctors to keep me here?

I was thinking of asking my MP to get in touch with Rishi Sunak to ask if he could allow me to be admitted here in London, as the facilities are better here and I feel safer in London.

Huw Edwards was recently admitted to an in-patient psychiatric hospital in London and I would feel safer being treated in an environment where Huw was treated.

Is there any way that I can be treated here in London, as I would feel safer here. I do not want to be transferred back to the midlands with paramedics, and would prefer to be treated in London as this is where Huw Edwards was treated.

The doctor did say that the wards would be louder here in London which may not be good for me (as I am a very quiet person) but I don't mind this as I would rather be treated in London.

I am being observed here at all times. There are more facilities here than there would be in my local hospital, such as shops that the nurse could accompany me to.

Please can you ask me how I can plea to ask to be treated in London? I DO NOT want to be transferred back to the midlands for an in-patient mental health bed, I would like to remain as a voluntary (informal) patient in London.

AIBU to ask to stay in London, and can a bed be found for me here and how can I get one? I do not fee safe returning to the midlands at the moment. I do not live in London normally though.

I don't understand the LEGAL difference. Apparently I am an informal/voulntary patient at the moment. The doctor who spoke to me this morning said that I was not being sectioned. However, when I asked to go myself to one of the food outlets across the road, the person observing me has said it is not possible. I have read though that voluntary patients should be allowed this? I don't particularly understand WHY if I am a voluntary patient am I not allowed to go on my own. Is 'sectioned' a legal procedure which makes things more formal? Basically I feel as if it applies now as I can't leave to go get food myself. I have been able to place an order to the hospital entrance on "Just Eat", and when it comes I suspect (pretty much know) that someone will have to come with me to collect it. So even though I am a VOULNATARY/INFORMAL patient, why does this have to happneb? I just don't see the difference really - certainly not understand it.

You’re still in A&E at the moment, so their rules apply for now. Please cooperate with them - they can see you are very unwell just now, and everything they do is to keep you safe. Don’t worry about legalities just at present.

Ah, I see. Once I am transferred as an informal patient then I may be able to go outside etc., even if this in the midlands?

The doctor did say that I wasn't being sectioned this morning and want to avoid this, but just got a bit confused when I asked to go outside but couldn't. Do different departments have different rules?

When people are in hospital they don't usually go outside - they are usually in hospital because they are unwell. Unwell people stay in bed and eat the 3+ meals provided free of charge each day.

When you are better, and if you decide to go to London on holiday, then you will stay in a hotel or somewhere similar and because of that then you can go outside as often as you like.

I just have cravings for food at the moment and feel so hungry. I don't want to go FAR, just across the road to get food. I am craving it.

Won’t your Just Eat order be there soon? You said you’d placed an order less than an hour ago. So you’ll be able to eat more then.

Yes, it has arrived and I have eaten it now. :)

Could people let me know what will happen when I get to the hospital in the Midlands? What is it like being an informal patient at a mental health hospital? I don't know what I am in for...

How old are you, op?

28

MH wards are noisy wherever you go, particular assessment wards.

You do come across as unwell in your posts.

You need to ask the staff what you are asking here.

As I indicated before OP, look at the info on MIND re being an informal patient.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/informal-patients/about-informal-patients/#WhatRulesWillIHaveToFollowAsAVoluntaryPatient

Can the Mental Health team give me an MRI Scan to see if there is a chemical imbalance in a certain part of my brain which has been causing me to feel so low in the last few months? Maybe then I can see what medicine would be better for me?

I think it's unlikely. I'd try to sleep now if you can.

An MRI scan will not pick up a chemical imbalance. You need to ask the medical team looking after you, any questions. They are better placed to help you than some random people on Mumsnet. Try and get some sleep now OP. Everything is worse when you are tired.

I actually asked my mental health nurse this today haha! I was like can you just stick a camera in there and find out what the problem is 😅 I know this is something that they can't do though. They can do bloods etc to see if there's any physical reason for a decline in your MH?

I hope you had a calm evening, your replies have been quite erratic OP, take the help you get and I hope you feel well again soon x

I hope you had a good nights sleep and are feeling better today.

OP You won’t get an MRI scan as an emergency, you’ve been medically cleared (by A and E doctors) and MRI scans don’t show chemical imbalances (which is a bit of myth in some areas).

if they suspected anything neuro was going on they would have done a CT scan in A and E before medically clearing you.

I hope you are on the way to the midlands and get the care you need

Seriously? Macdonalds? Nurses bringing you food? Are you wanting the " London experience " or care? Totally confused?

Apologies OP. Just read your thread and can see how unwell you appear to be. Hope you are being cared for.

@Enigma52

Did you read the updates tho ?

The OP did indeed get her McDonalds via Deliveroo.

Incidently whilst this thread was receiving posts, the OP started a new one.

On which thread? 😔

Oh right. Very confusing.