Latest news with #psychiatriccare
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Book Review: 'The Sleep Room' is the harrowing story of psychiatric care in the 1960s
Book Review: 'The Sleep Room' is the harrowing story of psychiatric care in the 1960s In the 1960s, a hospital in London held a ward full of women who suffered from a range of mental disorders. The women in this 'sleep room' were subjected to various medical procedures, including electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, and, at times, a lobotomy, without their consent. In "The Sleep Room: A Sadistic Psychiatrist and the Women Who Survived Him,' Jon Stock tells the harrowing history of the British doctor who subjected them to medical abuse and gives voice to those who survived him. With interwoven firsthand testimony from surviving patients and rigorous research, Stock provides a haunting account of what the psychiatrist did to his patients without their knowledge. Throughout the book Stock also works to hold the medical establishment accountable for the neglect that occurred, but at times can simplify the complexities of psychiatric care during the '60s that most likely led to the abuse endured by many patients. ADVERTISEMENT While the switching between patient stories, history and research can create some confusion for the reader, the patient testimonies allows Stock to deliver an emotionally powerful narrative that is equally as disturbing. Written with nuance and tact, the 'The Sleep Room' is a chilling exposé into psychiatric care that will resonate deeply readers and, especially, true crime fans. ___ AP book reviews: Fernanda Figueroa, The Associated Press
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Book Review: 'The Sleep Room' is the harrowing story of psychiatric care in the 1960s
Book Review: 'The Sleep Room' is the harrowing story of psychiatric care in the 1960s This image released by Abrams Books shows "The Sleep Room" by Jon Stock. (Abrams Books via AP) In the 1960s, a hospital in London held a ward full of women who suffered from a range of mental disorders. The women in this 'sleep room' were subjected to various medical procedures, including electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, and, at times, a lobotomy, without their consent. In "The Sleep Room: A Sadistic Psychiatrist and the Women Who Survived Him,' Jon Stock tells the harrowing history of the British doctor who subjected them to medical abuse and gives voice to those who survived him. With interwoven firsthand testimony from surviving patients and rigorous research, Stock provides a haunting account of what the psychiatrist did to his patients without their knowledge. Throughout the book Stock also works to hold the medical establishment accountable for the neglect that occurred, but at times can simplify the complexities of psychiatric care during the '60s that most likely led to the abuse endured by many patients. ADVERTISEMENT While the switching between patient stories, history and research can create some confusion for the reader, the patient testimonies allows Stock to deliver an emotionally powerful narrative that is equally as disturbing. Written with nuance and tact, the 'The Sleep Room' is a chilling exposé into psychiatric care that will resonate deeply readers and, especially, true crime fans. ___ AP book reviews:
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
As a long-term psychiatric patient, I've had superior care from the NHS
I read with interest the letters about psychiatric care in the NHS (11 July), prompted by Rachel Clarke's review of Bella Jackson's book Fragile Minds (A furious assault on NHS psychiatry, 30 June). I have not read the book but, as a long-term psychiatric patient, I would like to make two points. First, care naturally varies in quality, suitability and success. Following three years in unsatisfactory private care (after many previous years in NHS care), I have happily returned to the NHS. I find its care superior, but hamstrung by limited resources, which can mean waiting many months for an appointment. But I have never been treated badly, as Jackson suggests is common, even when in the worst state. Second, I was struck by what Jackson says a junior doctor said to her (as quoted by Clarke): ''Let's quetiapine them today!' And I asked him why quetiapine, and he said, 'They put you in the best hotels for conferences.'' As Clarke says, this is ludicrous, and certainly the only time I have heard 'quetiapine' used as a verb, which strikes me as improbable. Quetiapine has been a generic drug since 2012 (ie open to any company to manufacture and market, just as, say, paracetamol is). I cannot believe that a junior doctor would prescribe it in the hope of being put up in a 'best hotel' for a conference. It has long been the first-line treatment for psychosis, and for good reason: it works. I have been on quetiapine for 15 years. It's not an enviable position to be in, but I am glad it exists, and grateful to those who have – quite rightly – prescribed it to and address supplied I was disappointed to read that Cathy Wield was 'subjected to increasingly damaging interventions, including electroconvulsive therapy' (Letters, 11 July). I was treated with ECT for severe depression (with my full consent) in 2006 and it saved my life. In subsequent years when I had relapses, it again was highly effective as a treatment and I recovered fully, and have been well for the last five years. I would hope that patients won't dismiss ECT as a potential treatment for depression based on its negative portrayal in the press, but be guided by NHS professionals who prescribe what they believe is best for the individual and address supplied
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
How The Healthcare Industry Can Address Delays In Psychiatric Care
Amanda Marlar, founder of My Psych Match, improving psychiatric care access by connecting people with complex needs to the right providers. In healthcare, when someone breaks a bone, experiences chest pain or shows signs of a stroke, we don't tell them to come back in a few months. We treat them immediately. But when the crisis is psychiatric—whether it be escalating panic attacks, a severe depressive episode or a behavioral collapse from unmanaged co-occurring conditions such as autism and anxiety—patients are often being forced to wait. Across the United States, the average wait time is 48 days between when a patient initially contacts a provider for mental healthcare and their first appointment. A variety of factors are at play: rising levels of unmet behavioral health needs, a shrinking pool of psychiatric providers, uneven access and narrowly defined roles that limit a provider's scope. The result is a system where an estimated 21.5 million adults navigating complex diagnoses struggle to connect with the right expertise and secure proper care. If leaders in the healthcare system want to decrease costs and improve outcomes, I believe we must first redesign intake processes to support complexity, then address provider shortages, because, as I see it, the biggest cost driver isn't access. It's misalignment. The Individual Risks Of System Failure For individuals navigating severe psychiatric conditions, delays in care pose significant, potentially life-threatening risks. Without timely access to a provider equipped to diagnose and manage complex conditions, patients risk missed school years, job loss, hospitalization or long-term functional decline. The right level of care can help prevent patients from cycling through emergency rooms and temporary solutions. However, with the current system structured around generalized access and generalist providers who often lack the diagnostic specialization needed to treat complex cases, those most in need are the ones least likely to get proper support. A study published in General Hospital Psychiatry found that only 18.5% of psychiatrists in the U.S. were available to accept new patients with non-urgent needs. Even individuals with private insurance didn't fare better, showing that this is a systemic issue consistent across all payer types. The Business Implications Of Inaction The cost of psychiatric care delays extends far beyond the individual. It's also a business problem and a growing liability for healthcare systems, employers, insurers and the broader economy. When patients are mismatched with the wrong provider, they end up needing more tests, referrals and emergency room (ER) visits as their condition progresses. Each step adds friction, time delays and resource costs, resulting in a system of provider networks clogged with inappropriate visits. This isn't good for patients, and it isn't good for business. For employers, these inefficiencies can increase absenteeism, presenteeism, decreased productivity and long-term disability claims. According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy over $1 trillion annually in lost productivity. And as employers invest heavily in mental health benefits, poorly matched care undermines both outcomes and the return on that investment. The same stress is felt across healthcare systems and insurers. Public systems absorb these costs as patients cycle through crises, often ending up in costly emergency interventions or long-term disability programs that could have been avoided with timely, appropriate care. The Roots Of The Problem (And A Way Forward) Several key factors contribute to psychiatric access delays: workforce shortages, low insurance reimbursement rates and fragmented systems that isolate mental health from the broader healthcare infrastructure. But at a deeper level, I believe the problem stems from how psychiatric care has been commercialized, rewarding rapid growth and serving the general population. Over the past decade, the rise of telehealth has created new opportunities to remove geography as a barrier to care. In many ways, it delivered on that promise. Some platforms' standardized intake processes work reasonably well for patients with short-term anxiety or mild depressive symptoms. But these models can fall short for patients who require clinical diagnosis, medication management and long-term psychiatric care. I believe that the next phase of psychiatric care innovation must come from redesigning intake systems that identify complexity up front. That includes deeper diagnostic assessments, referral networks built around provider specialization and treatment models that go beyond algorithmic matching. These assessments should identify co-occurring conditions and route patients to qualified specialists. In practice, this means asking who the patient is being seen by and whether that provider is equipped to treat the root issue, then quickly getting them into treatment. As we rethink this system, we must also consider that bigger provider lists mean nothing if patients are still being routed to generalists unprepared to manage their needs. Instead, networks should be centered around clinical specialization to create a system with better care and fewer costly crisis interventions that strain the broader healthcare system. Some newer models are addressing this problem differently by developing condition-specific matching systems designed to connect patients with providers who have expertise in diagnosing and managing overlapping conditions. In closing, there is no shortcut to solving psychiatric access. To close the care gap, we must design a system that addresses availability concerns while simultaneously matching patients with the expertise they need. This, in turn, can create a specialized system that serves both patients and businesses. That means redesigning intake processes, expanding networks of specialized providers and building infrastructure that recognizes the complexity of psychiatric care. The longer we rely on generalized models that fail to serve those with complex needs, the longer we allow patients to fall through the cracks. Precision-driven psychiatric care isn't a luxury—it's the next necessary evolution of mental health care delivery. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Psychiatric ward at Glenfield Hospital undergoes £1.6m revamp
A psychiatric intensive care unit in Leicester has undergone a £1.6m revamp - the first major refurbishment since it opened in Ward, part of the Bradgate Mental Health Unit at Glenfield Hospital, provides care for adult mental health capacity was reduced to six in April 2024 due to damage in one area of the ward, but the upgrade means it can once again accommodate 10 patients, each with their own year, inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the ward was "tired and in need of updating". In addition to being redecorated, new windows, flooring and upgraded doors have been installed. Improvements have also been made to the safety systems, personal alarms and fire alarms.A new mental health tribunal room has also been created, providing a space where patients who are detained under the Mental Health Act and their representatives can apply to be discharged from their section.A significant proportion of the money for the refurbishment was provided in a grant from NHS England, according to Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, which runs the were transferred to another psychiatric intensive care unit in a neighbouring country while the 14-week refurbishment took place. Samantha Wood, head of service for mental health inpatients and urgent and emergency care for the trust, said the ward was now "really fresh and bright"."We hope that the improvements help patients to feel that they are going to be treated in a more therapeutic environment, and their families and carers will see that they are going to be safe," she said."It is really fantastic to see such a big difference in a relatively short space of time."It is also a much nicer place to work for our staff."
