Letter

Not an easy relationship

Dear healthmatters — With respect to Jo Lucas’ article on mental health nurses (Service user seeks trusting relationship, issue 14) I should like to make the following observations.

Last year I spent some seven months in a psychiatric ward where, in line with hospital policy, I was allocated a primary nurse three days after admission.

The roles he had were many and varied. He was involved with my initial assessment and the creation of my care plan — I was not consulted about either — he spent hours with me roaming up and down my psyche, trying to make sense of my situation, he chased me along hospital corridors to implement my detention under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act, he watched me fitting under ECT — an ordeal for both of us — and he acted as my advocate when the doctor and I disagreed.

Yes, the relationship was about care and containment, but let us not underestimate all that this implies.