Hellesdon Hospital

Kestral ward was a poor experience for me. Staff did not interact with patients, they either congregated in the office or sat on chairs at the outskirts, watching but not talking or helping. When other patients call you names or become aggressive, they do nothing. Little information is given about anything, ie meals, or that you have to ask for a drink. I had to ask other patients. Given people may want to talk, the staff do not check in, they do not ask how you are, they don't know your name. It felt like some sort of holding pen where the more "with it" patients were actually assisting the patients who needed more support, should be the staff doing that. I was entitled to leave but felt too afraid to ask, as they were unapproachable. I was on a section but managed to get my foot out the front door. It was incredibly lonely. The only time I was spoke to was at a review, full of people I had never met, who then luckily discharged me.

The staff are so lazy they just watch TV for whole 12 hour shifts.

I am terminally ill with inflammatory breast cancer and scleroderma i dont have much time left and i was put into hellesdon hospital at the age of 32 when i was not at risk to myself or others. i really would have rather spent the time with my nephew, my twin and my auntie.

i was at hellesdon for about year and a half( whitlingham ward ) a few staff were nice but i got harrassed by staff member - i told the other staff but didnt get belived so she was free to carry on dont it. i got stabbed in head with vape pen by a patient, their was lots of blood,nothing happened to the patient that done it they didnt even seam to care just said stay away from her. i was safer and hell lot happier in prison then that hellhole. the food was ok im out now and a whole lot happier i have a flat

This hospital has been in and out of special measures for years. Team did not take mental health problems seriously and made no effort whatsoever to use disability appropriate language. Mansplaining by men who never even created nor shared a care plan with me or my carers, did not liaise with my carers at all despite us raising this as a serious omission. A bit of a chat on Zoom about “what my values are” and some sub-par advice about how to “ignore” very serious barriers in society to my safety and participation (disability harrassment and sexual harassment). The mansplained version of how to cope with both was utterly patronising and about 30 years behind contemporary practice. I shared resources on my disability with them which were not read or viewed or engaged with thus - disability differentiation did not take place - it was as if they’d not be taught anything about disability at all. My mental health condition went untreated. When we protested an assessment was delivered hastily in a manner which showed how expert the team are in bumping people off their caseload. Never before have I ever seen an assessment used as a bumping off exercise. The poor reviews are justified - this is a low quality service and it’s very sad indeed because they get to play Russian roulette with people’s lives. Norfolk has one of the lowest populations and highest suicides of all counties.

Some of the staff were great and helpful. Having a mental health condition is very disorientating at the best of time. I felt a sense of freedom to explore the ward and talk to fellow patients and staff. The food was ok. If it hadn't been for someone stealing valuable items from me at two different stays at this hospital and being attacked by two patients and a member of staff bursting into my room uninvited and restraining me from behind I would have said that the stay had been very therapeutic and all that it should be. My wish to not be overmedicated (I think that is a general problem with medication being somewhat heavyhanded) was taken into account and I have done well with my problem and the prescribed meds since.

I was sexually assaulted by a psychologist under sedation in this hospital..

I was treated very badly here. The room I was in was filthy. The staff showed a complete lack of compassion. I am very disappointed in many kinds concerning the place. They call it hellesdon don't they as in the Don of hell. I experienced no human compassion in the midst of a psychosis. They played awful mind games with me every day. I'm not sure which voices where human or not.. I fell in love and he betrayed me. My heart weeps for him and he knows and enjoys it. Anyway my pain has gone beyond words.

This place is so filthy and dirty. After being in this dive for monthe I caught verrucas very painful ones. Prof the communal showers are not cleaned after use. I felt like they were playing horrible games with me. Like writing in my report they are eating cake in the office while I starve to death. They actually wrote that. A mental health nurse stole it from my bag before being transferred to another hospital. Most of the staff were unkind, one support worker said to me "you are moving because nobody likes you" I had a very bad experience there.

I'm not sure what I'm doing or even saying here. But from my view and opinion there was only one nice member of staff there, a support worker. He was amazing with me in this time of hell. I thought everybody was against me except for him. Wow what a crazy time, I'd completely lost myself. I just don't know what to write as I'm not sure what is true anymore.