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  Writing: Carol Batton

   Beds

"One male, no female beds".
"But Mrs. Simmons is in Acute Psychosis".
(My fear of the Mental Health Act causing me blame, was more than my fear of Mrs. Simmons)
(I have a psychiatric post at ' -'Central General Hospital Trust')

Alice is an old patient of mine, (I've seen her three times). She mithers for a bed when she doesn't need one, and is now refusing it, when I ought to— admit her.”

"One male, no female" -I decided to try the "Day Hospital" -(No beds - 24 hours contact), I'll have to get her to accept first.
I'm paid to persuade, and I am not paid for nothing... she feared the Medication, though it would probably do her good in the long run and she did need calming down.

"Just try it for a couple of weeks", (That one was worth £50 a week of my persuading wages)... once on it her will would cave-in...works on Russian dissidents too, apparently.

The 'Referral' took two hours,...(We have a Government 'Gold' Award for that). I smiled to myself... ; Pity the Community Team is in the Activities Room. The Day Hospital has four Occupational Therapists and nothing to do.

Mr. Mathews is being discharged from the Day Hospital. He already has accommodation, so he would not be on the street. He's done the full stay of thirteen weeks - so obviously he couldn't stay in any longer, anyway. "I need the support" he said. He'll do better by not getting institutionalized. Costs thousands to keep patients in hospital wards. (I've got the figures somewhere). Care Plan; Keep him out of the hospiicd. His mother can look after him. "I don't get on with her", he says, hearing voices - her voice.

I hear two months later, Dave Mathews has been thrown out of the hospital corridor, by security again.
(We can't have patients in the new corridors - and this is not A&E!)
Why can't they manage on their own?
Why doesn't the medication always recover them properly?
Why do we have to provide everything for them?
They are all so lacking in energy.
How am I supposed to know about groups and phone lines? They didn't teach me that in medical school. "I hate being on call".

Those patients sit around drinking tea and smoking.. .why do so many abuse alcohol?
They can't afford it, and it does them no good...
Haven't they got something better to do?
I've got them on medication and rational.
They may do less - but they are more rational.
We are not really 'thought police',
not really. It is more important than that.
Better check with the secretaries...

One male, one female bed.
"Oh! Good. Can you save the female bed?"
"No. Doctor Isaacs needs it for one of his patients, on transfer from jail,
(for dancing in front of a policeman), (While fairly sober). Tom wants me again...
"Yes Tom?"
"No, Tom".
What can he expect? There's nothing I can do. Teach them to solve their own problems!
What can I do?
'No, female bed",
Must be a self-help group somewhere... isn't there an Art Department? You painted that picture for me once... "Well, OK"
"We'll see".

(But there are so many of them to see).
"Do you understand? There are no beds"
"Miss Davies! You don't seem to understand,
'There can't be no beds",
"'No female beds,'",' there's nothing I can do".
'Well,
I'll go in a male bed'.
"Can't you understand? - there are no beds?"
"How long are you staying? You've been
here twenty minutes, and I must see the next person.

You're not sectioned....
Yes, I could section you, but there are no beds... so I can't section you...
It's the Medium secure - (We haven't got any).
We haven't even got an open acute bed. They are all closed.
I feel your mother should cope...
She knows you best.
(They can't blame me - no beds).

"See you in two weeks",
"Take this to pharmacy".

Carol Batton 17th October 1994