WHY AM I IN HOSPITAL?

Why am I here?
(Power Tool 3 will help you get answers)

You are a patient in a psychiatric unit either because you agreed to an admission - OR - because other people wanted you to come and stay here as they were concerned about your mental health. You may be here for treatment or you may be here just to be assessed as to what your mental health needs are.

Who are the other patients?

All the young people at your unit will be in a similar situation. They too will be ordinary young people who are at the unit to be treated or assessed. Some may need more treatment or staff support than others, but no one has less right to treatment or should be treated as less important than anyone else.

You will either be an ‘informal’ or ‘formal’ patient.

What is an informal patient?

If you agree to stay in hospital or someone with responsibility for you (such as parents or carers) agree to it then you are an ‘informal patient’. At most units many of the other young people there will be informal patients. There is no legal process to appeal against this type of patient. You have the right to refuse treatment if you are able to do so ( if you are capable or Gillick competent) and ask to leave whenever you want. If it is considered that you are so unwell you need to be in hospital then you may be treated as a formal patient.

What is a formal patient?

Someone who does not volunteer to go into hospital and is admitted using the Mental Health Act is considered a formal patient. You are not free to leave any time you want but you still have rights and can appeal against being detained in this way. (See Power Tool 11 - Appealing Against My Section)

Case Study 1

Jenny was admitted to the unit because her mother and her doctor felt that it was best for her. She wasn’t really happy about it but went along with it anyway. When she arrived it wasn’t as she expected at all. Soon she was given a copy of the toolkit and discovered that she still had rights and could still influence the things that she was unhappy about. Although she still didn’t want to be there, by using the tools she became able to assert her views and make a positive impact on decisions about her care and treatment as an inpatient. By the time she was discharged she had been able to work out and express what support she felt she needed for living at home again.

Created by Advocacy in Somerset - Registered Charity No. 1093096

Initially funded by the Childrens Rights Alliance for England’s
Ready Steady Change Programme

Upgrade in 2008 funded by the National Institute for Mental Health in England
and the Department of Health

Copyright © Advocacy in Somerset Ltd 2009