The Orchard, Pathfinders Drive, Lancaster, LA1 4JJ - Lancaster

Mark T.

They made mistakes with the supplying the correct dosage of my medication as prescribed. Failed to give me some medication for days. One day gave me my medication, and later came and asked me if I had been given it. Never even checked fully to see if I had anything dangerous when I went in. Also never made a care plan until I questioned why they hadn't. That was on my fifth day there. Also even though I told a doctor I was not religious, she told me her belief was that you go to hell if you commit suicide. When I told them I was discharging myself they tried to keep me there, saying I was at risk of suicide in my home, when I was more at risk there, due to their incompetence.

Geoff R.

Absolutely brilliant.
I am an alcoholic & I cant fault them -I was in there for 24 Hrs & I hate cells - enclosed rooms etc & they did everything they could to help & assist me.
I know I have got massive addiction issues & they are my own & I have created & nurtured them & am now having to own & deal with them.
I am shortly going to detox & rehab & I want to live & will fight for it & I cannot belive people leave 1 star "passive aggressive reviews".
Grow a pair - deal with it - you have created your own monster.
If you want a passive aggressive review go & buy candy floss at a fairground.
I am really ready for some soul searching / heart breaking
questions & you just like me 12 months ago thought you could deal with it by yourself.
When your ready your ready
But you have to hit rock bottom

K K.

Today, I had a lady called Sarah (short blonde hair, with a mole on the right side of her eye) from the Initial Response Service discuss options for my conditions. At first she seemed decent, but then turned out to be quite unprofessional and passive-aggressive. This service should have received information about my circumstances prior to my appointment, but during the appointment it seemed that she did not know anything about me. None of the experiences I shared had sounded familiar to her. I complied with the questions she asked me and tried my best to provide as much relevant information as possible. I would also have to repeat and clarify the information I had provided multiple times, so I do not believe she was listening properly.

After sharing past negative experiences, she had said that I “still made that choice” and repeated this same phrase many times - implying that what had happened was my fault. This still makes me feel sick to my stomach. Is that really something you should say (as a professional) to someone who is clearly struggling?

When discussing support options, she kept on asking what I wanted to get out of this - I am not a professional, hence why I had sought help from a supposed professional. I had expressed that I wasn’t sure what I wanted but I know that I needed support. I had also already explained previous difficulties I have had in expressing myself and reaching out for help and yet she kept on pressuring me by saying “you are looking at me a very distinct way but you’re not telling me anything” - that “distinct” look was helpless frustration because all I could do was cry. She again pointed out that I wasn’t telling her anything a few more times, again I don’t think she processed the fact that I had explained that I find great difficulty in reaching out for support.

Her “support” that she insisted on also seemed to have been personal choices that she herself would make - I had explained many times that the “support” she so heavily encouraged was something very difficult for me, as well as having tried various strategies for years to improve myself. Never in my life have I experienced such poor service from the NHS.

The only somewhat helpful advice given was to contact my GP if I wanted medication.

By the end of the appointment, I left in tears. She had failed to provide any support at all, and was quite insensitive to the information I had shared.
Honestly, I had left feeling worse than when I came in, and how Sarah had treated me will forever stick with me.

I hope that others who seek support never find this kind of encounter.

James N.

I came and spent 4 months there. The OT staff got me painting. This helped me so much. I’m now an award winning artist with regular commissions and my own YouTube channel. The staff are so amazing so thanks Noella Dan Derry Sharon Earnest and the 136 staff just to name a few

Adam

The staff are fantastic and a special thanks to Elle I was on 136 and it’s so boring in the room they supply you with an iPad but no tv like I said the staff are fantastic

Hellen M.

The last time I was at the Orchard was 5 years ago or maybe 6 . The staff had empathy made patients a priority unlike Burnley. This time the Lancaster Crisis team managed to keep me out of hospital which has never happened before , even though understaffed most of the staff had compassion and understanding . I really feel that I can trust them now In a crisis and be less likely to need hospital again if I become ill in the future.

Michelle M.

Was on a 136. Staff are amazing and kind. I have been here before a few years back. It was the same amazing helpful kind staff. Helped me a lot and the support you got daily was really helpful for future. Can’t fault this place.

Jack K.

I've now been on the ward 2 days and the staff are excellent really professional and caring I totally recommend this ward