Clock View Hospital, Mersey Care NHS Trust - Liverpool

Yvonne R.

Just wanted to say a big thankyou to all the staff on Irwell ward for all the care given to restore me back to full health much appreciated xxxxxx

Olivia T.

Tried to call, to discuss a family member’s health and after being transferred to her ward, the line rang out for about 2 minutes before it dropped. This has been happening every day for 2 weeks, there is never anybody on the phone at the wards and it’s so frustrating. I can’t get through to anybody whatsoever.

Kevin W.

Total lack of communication between staff and patients. I learnt very early the only way to get the senior members of staff to actually help you is to kick up such a fuss and physically demand that your medical needs are addressed only then will they do anything to help you.

It seems the higher your qualifications the less work you do.

The ordinary staff are very nice and helpful. But cannot pass messages on to the senior staff or the senior staff choose not to act upon the patients physical requirements and repeated requests for help.

A strict regime of authoritarian rule by the senior staff whose word is law when a doctor is not on the ward.
Backed up by threats of 6 hour sectioning for anyone questioning their own little fiefdom.

Never again will I allow myself to be treated with such indifference by senior staff members.

Snufkin F.

My husband was transferred to this hospital aiming for better services but we were very very disappointed that the service of mental health ward was so poor. Treating patients like animals, without dignity.

For example, ward staff wanted to prevent my husband from committing suicide, he was being taken off his upper clothes and only allowed to have a thin bedsheet.

My husband was begging to have his clothes back and this was allowed until approaching visiting time as to prevent the patient's family from seeing what they were doing.

The consultant psychiatrist, the nursing staff is subjectively and judgemental, he did not listen to the concerns of patients and relatives.

A hospital is a place to treat patients, not a place to imprison patients.

My husband was hospitalized for more than 2 months except for seeing doctors, clinical psychologists and nurses. There are no other activities and treatments. Last time, he was hospitalized in another mental health ward with a lot of activities like Occupational therapy, meditation, etc.

One time, my husband saw the doctor. The doctor told him that I had nothing to help you at the moment but continued to leave my husband in the hospital for over a month! What kind of treatment is this?

I understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing staff have a heavy workload, but they should maintain the quality of care.

Jackie S.

I wouldn't put a dog in here!! They over medicated my mum just to convince nursing homes she's ready to be discharged - within 72hours of leaving here, she ended up in the royal hospital wid severe leg infections - but clock view said her legs were fine!! Yet TWO hospital consultants AGREED her legs have been infected for a while. Not to mention her clothes/personal belongings going missing, plus lack of communication between staff!! The place is a joke!!

Lou C.

Nice building in terms of being shiny and purpose-built. There are gym facilities but use is limited to when staff are available. Outdoor space for all the wards is good, with benches and outdoor gym equipment. Food bad- served in plastic microwave containers with plastic cutlery, all refined carbs with no veg, patients can’t chose their meals which doesn’t help tackle poor nutrition common in mental health illness.

Staff attitude makes this place unfit for housing cockroaches, let alone patients.

Consultant review once a week- just say 'carry on' with whatever meds you are on even if they aren't working. Allegedly you can request to see doctors at other times but the nurses block this constantly and even if you do manage to see a junior doctor they just say 'wait until your consultant review next week'. Doctors hand out benzodiazepines like smarties- addictive drugs not used for any licenced indication, just trying to sedate everyone so they are quiet. No one seems to be trying to treat illness, the hospital seems to exist just to sort out living situations for people who need care/are homeless etc. They constantly rest on the excuse ‘we are just an admissions ward’- well why are you holding people on treatment sections if not bothered with treatment?

Physical health completely ignored- doctors don't even examine you if you have physical health issue, nurses do physical obs but don't know what they mean, physical health medications not prescribed to me for over 2 weeks despite me asking multiple times including to the pharmacist. PALS complaint outcome- it is ‘normal’ for meds not to be prescribed for a while after admission! Lost over one stone due to depression- nurses and dieticians didn’t follow up the dieticians’ plans to try to help. Had to clean and dress the wounds and remove own stitches from self-harm because all doctors and nurses said they weren't qualified.

Agree with previous reviews- the more senior staff are the less they do. The nursing assistants are nice and try to help. However, the ward managers are completely callous, uncaring, and have the combined IQ of a wooden spoon. They create a culture of treating patients like they are problems, dismissing them and making comments designed purely to belittle them. This trickles down to the nurses, who treat the patients with similar contempt. Nurses’ main focus is on getting their takeaway every night. Patients held under section because supposedly can’t make decisions about themselves, yet constantly threatened with police being called when they lash out against themselves or ward furniture because they can’t get help. If you tell nurses you are completely suicidal they just say 'go and watch TV'. They refuse to help or get a doctor for suicidality despite that being why you are there.

Self-cutting is treated with severe hostility despite no other coping mechanisms being taught. Weirdly, more damaging forms of self-harm are actively encouraged- eating junk food, smoking (including inside, thus damaging everyone else), ligaturing (no sharps allowed but cables, belts, laces etc all fine to have)…

Activities on the ward require you to go and ask for them, therefore patients who are struggling most are denied the most activity. The wards seem to be good for people who just want a break from home life, so can take care of themselves and get involved, but if you're really ill there is zero support to get you motivated, engaged and find ways to help you improve.

Psychologists employed just to tell you they can’t do any treatment as an inpatient, you have to be an outpatient. But outpatient they say it is too unsafe as you’re too unwell. Do psychologists treat anyone? Nice way to earn a salary!

Must be said- the housekeepers are utterly lovely, caring, take time to talk to every patient whilst keeping the ward spotless etc. They are the only reprieve from being constantly demeaned by staff, and talking to them is the only time you feel respected and feel your pain ease a tiny bit.

Ethan B.

Lied about what I said on an assessment a few years ago, a fact I only found out after requesting my medical records for another reason. Constantly demand my name despite not providing theirs, put phone down on me multiple times, refuse to give me an email address to complain then claim they don't have email in that facility. Laugh at me in the back ground as talking on phone to them. Absolute joke, noone with mental health issues should go here it will make you worse.

Dennis M.

I landed on Morris ward in April 2019, remembering the first few days but being moved to Picu a couple of wks later. I had an acute water infection when I'd landed. I was restrained on the picu many times, my wrists twisted up prison style, my feet didn't touch the ground on the way to my room. The staff undertake unarmed combat, I believe, I remember ward round taking place when I was in room 1 and my begging my psychiatrist to move me back to Morris ward, which they did do eventually. All my clothes had been stolen, I was getting acufazed all the time so wasn't able to carry out these chores.