'I've been in and out of hospital 5 times' - Preston woman calls for shake up of mental health hospitals
A leading mental health charity is calling for an independent inquiry
Last updated 22nd Jun 2023
The government is being urged to launch a public inquiry into apparent problems at mental health hospitals in England.
Leading mental health charity 'Mind' says immediate action is needed as the facilities are overwhelmed and patients' rights are being violated.
Mind's campaign, Raise the Standard, calls for a full inquiry to address the widespread issues. A survey conducted for Mind reveals that many people lack confidence in the safety and respect provided by these hospitals.
We've been speaking to Laura Sylvester, a confidence and empowerment coach from Preston, who's been living with anorexia most of her life.
She's been admitted to mental health hospitals 5 times in quick succession and says the care service needs an overhaul.
Laura said:
"The entire aim when you're in an eating disorder unit is to make you gain wait, but of course it's a mental illness so what happens is the person becomes 'weight restored' and are let back out into the community. Then they relapse and end up back in hospital because they didn't get the help they need.
"With my time in hospital I've witnessed a lot. I've seen sever distress from people in hospital and I've sadly seen 3 friends of mine pass away after they've been in hospital due to the neglect."