Blossomwood - Sutton-in-Ashfield

Paul S.

Ode to a Dreadful Place
(With apologies to John Betjeman's wonderful poem "Slough")

Come friendly bombs and fall on Blossomwood!
It never really was much good
Unpleasant staff and lazy docs.
High time they got a nasty shock
Be forced to work hard to make folks well
Instead of being a branch of Hell.

Renamed from Millbrook Mental Health
They squandered taxpayers’ hard-earned wealth.
I sat around, staff did not help
Improve my health, they really should
But all they did was act like crud.

They tried their worst to do me down,
attempting to bully and be cruel.
I fought back hard and took them on
For I am certainly no fool.

Tea and biscuits handed out
No biscuit though for me
Their petty, mean, vindictive ways
Shamed them in every way.

They were called staff,
I called them creeps
So thick they did not even know
We taxpayers fund their salaries
And pensions too, for free.

When they are old
I hope they’re shown
More kindness and respect
Than they ever showed to me.

Bullies NEVER win their way
I showed them that for sure.
They’ll soon get sacked,
Their dated views
Are not for us today.
The Government wants, the public too,
A kinder, better way!

Codie M.

Had a lovely experience today with a nurse and occupational therapist. Both very wonderful and attentive ladies. Made the environment very warm, welcoming and non judgemental . Gave me practical solutions and suggestions. Listened to what I said and gave me guidance for the future. Thankyou.

FlufflePuff P.

Was given tables for my anxiety attacks and depression didn’t give me noting for the voices I hear this was back in 2014 they don’t care at all they just throw you medication then send you on your way like how is that meant to help with no other suport this place needs closing down absolutely a shambles

Timir G.

My mum went into Millbrook Ward when she had a bipolar episode and we could not manage at home. She was a patient at the hospital for around 3 months. As soon as we arrived to drop her off, we were greeted by a nurse who was lovely, and reassured us we could call anytime. My mum was given the best care by every person on the ward, and she was very fond of several members of staff who she would speak to us about whenever we visited. She also loved the food, and enjoyed being able to choose her meals.

We will always be extremely grateful to the staff at Millbrook Hospital - doctors and nurses alike - for looking after our mum. Thank you.

Anne E.

It was awful experience. I was visited my husband who has mixed dementia. He want to go to toilet but I saw a wet puddle on floor. Told staff to mop it up but took a long time. Once it had been mopped my husband went for wee then I saw poo in sink and I stopped him from washing hands while poo was there - absolutely disgusting. Will fight to get him to be discharged

James W.

I’ve left a lot of negative reviews over the years for Millbrook, some of them articulate, some full of profanity. Either way they have always reflected my experience as an out-patient, which has never truly been positive. I agree with other commenters that both the system here and the building itself are a great visual representation of the state of mental health care in the U.K.
In all honesty, the secretaries and reception staff are the most helpful.

Natasha M.

The staff was lovely no fault in that it's just ashame I was discharged and made to pack my bags crying that I feel unsafe. I tried killing myself 2 nights earlier in Millbrook and then was discharged and basically left back on my own, after begging and pleading I don't want to leave. You're basically left to do your own thing in there, everyday the same for those who don't get visitors. And hour here and there with an OT but nothing that particularly helps you to get better. Mental hospitals are meant to inspire recovery, as Millbrook had written through the hallways. I left feeling worse then when I came in. My meds where not sorted like they said they would do, the only thing that changed was I got diagnosed. And then that same night made to discharge myself. I understand if perhaps they are struggling for beds etc, but that makes it worse, I was made to feel I wasn't as important as everyone else. There should be around the clock therapy to get people feeling back to themselves so there stay isn't long in hospital or so if they do get made to discharge themselves like myself they do not feel they haven't achieved anything, if I left with a few ways to help me cope and perhaps better support when I did get home. My 3* would be a lot higher. I would say 1* but the staff themselves where lovely and only doing there jobs. Please, sort the mental health system out.

erin

Eight months ago I moved from the UK to Germany. While in the UK I was treated here due to having BPD. But once I had moved and saw a psychiatrist here in Germany, they told me how in fact I was misdiagnosed and it was something else of a complete different spectrum.

How they didn't see I was dealing with full blown psychosis due an underlining illness for the four years or longer I was there is beyond me. At least here in Germany, they don't throw diagnoses at you right off the bat after just one session like they did here. My now doctor takes his time. First treating the psychosis and then when under control , figuring out what illness caused it. The UK needs to take a page out of the german health care system and stop making mental illness out to be just nothing.