Institutional conflict: the state of play in adult acute psychiatric wards
| Date | 01 December 2005 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668203200500020 |
| Pages | 6-12 |
| Published date | 01 December 2005 |
| Author | Alison Faulkner |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
paper
6© Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) Limited The Journal of Adult Protection Volume 7 Issue 4 • December 2005
Introduction
This article seeks to expose the poor treatment of people that
is common on acute adult psychiatric wards, through both
personal experience and reference to a number of reports and
surveys on the subject. Complaint or redress is confounded by
the power differential between staff and patients and the
‘invalidation’ of psychiatric patients’ views. The author
recommends a number of short term solutions but in the
longer term suggests a complete review of the role, status and
function of acute care within the mental health care system: it
needs upgrading, updating and valuing in its own right.
Background
Acute Care 2004: A National Survey of Adult Psychiatric Wards
in England (Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2005) found
widespread understaffing with an over-reliance on bank and
agency staff, a lack of therapeutic activities and increasingly
high levels of need amongst patients. On the same day, the
Royal College of Psychiatrists also published a survey carried
out for the Healthcare Commission on violence encountered
on hospital wards – The National Audit of Violence 2003–2005
(Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2005). This too makes
unpleasant reading. Evidently about one in three patients
experienced violent or threatening behaviour during a stay
lasting an average of 40 days. Three-quarters of nursing staff
reported being attacked, threatened or feeling unsafe.
These findings do not come as a surprise. They replicate
the findings of several previous studies, both national and
local. Mind’s Ward Watch campaign report (2004) found that
51 per cent of recent or current inpatients reported being
Institutional conflict: the
state of play in adult acute
psychiatric wards Alison Faulkner
Independent Researcher and Service User
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