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Priory Hospital,Roehampton.Sister being admitted, what's it like ?

Does anyone know what it's like ?

Sister is being admitted. She has an eating disorder

She'll be an Inpatient,in The Eating disorders Unit. What's it like ?

Will i be able to see her ?

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Reply 1

street

well being at roehampton uni all i can say is it looks pretty posh from the outside!
sry this doesnt help does it. Although i saw a documentary on it a couple of weeks ago and u may want to search for it on the net its pretty informing.

Reply 2

Anonymous #2

Anonymous

She'll be an Inpatient,in The Eating disorders Unit. What's it like ?

Will i be able to see her ?

I've only ever been an outpatient at a couple of the Priory clinics. As far as hospitals etc go, they're nice. Much more pleasant and relaxing than NHS ones and the consultants seem to make a lot more effort/are more polite and helpful (probably because you're paying them a huge amount to do so...).

I'd imagine visiting would be like any other hospital, you will be able to, but probably at set times so it doesn't interfere with her treatment.

Reply 3

JH08

I have a one-legged grandmother, who is 67 and she had to go there twice a week for 2 years following her leg amputation for physio and the like.

She never had any problems, certainly the staff were very friendly and she is still going back once every three months for checks and to give her a new leg every now and then :tongue:

All I have heard is praise for the place, which given that it is a hospital is usually quite a rare thing - so it can't be that bad!

Reply 4

fleur de lis

Isn't the Priory Hospital a mental health hospital?

Reply 5

Anonymous #3

Anonymous

Does anyone know what it's like ?

Sister is being admitted. She has an eating disorder

She'll be an Inpatient,in The Eating disorders Unit. What's it like ?

Will i be able to see her ?

Yep, I was in the Priory for the same thing about 1.5 years ago. At the time I hated it because the staff were trying to help me get better and I was very ill and did not want to. However, in reality the EDU is very good. The staff were all very supportive and helpful when I was there. They have moved building since I was in inpatient and the new building is clean, modern and seems quite nice. It is harder for patients to get out though which can be frustrating if you're stuck there.

Yes you will be able to see her, visitors are certainly welcomed. Do visit her as much as you can and take little presents especially things to do e.g. craft kits, books, music. It can be very slow there and even worse in winter I'd imagine.

I found it a horribly lonely time since I was detached from my family and argued with them every time they came. I couldn't tell many friends as it was so embarrassing to let people know. Even now I haven't told anyone else.

The EDU is the unit of the Priory devoted to Eating Disorders. It is headed by the director of the EDU (a sweet Irish lady if still there) and has psychologists/therapist type person during the day and nurses who are present 24/7 in shifts. Each patient has a psychologist who oversees their progress and treatment. They will usually see their psychologist regularly. Each pateint is also assigned to a consultant psychiatrist who directs the course of treatment and sees the patient a couple of times a week.

Patients attend various 'groups' each day e.g. art therapy, emotions, food and me etc and may have private therapy sessions too.

The food is quite reasonable, not massively calorific and the weight gain is steady compared to other EDUs where patients are essentially force fed on fatty food.

The Priory is NOT a celebrity 'retreat' it is a psychiatric hospital. The patients are mostly normal people.

The rooms are reasonably comfortable, when I was there we had TV, en suite etc

It is frustrating to be enclosed and have so many rules enforced upon you, but I suppose it is necessary. Some unpleasant memories include the multiple blood tests day after day when they realized my potassium was low.

The 'documentary' on channel 5 recently was quite simply a load of nonsense. Details stated were incorrect and the whole stance and focus was biased and inaccurate. Some footage looked as if they were filming inside the Priory but they were NOT. This was misleading to anyone who'd never been inside the Priory. Some speaker claimed there was never quiet, there was always noisy unrest - utterly untrue. It was peaceful and fine other than the regular airplanes and one random shouting.

Just let her know you care, do not tell her what to do. She knows what she must do. Avoid conflict when you visit and if she seems grumpy, it could be because of the frustration of being in there. Remember she is stuck and cannot access the outside world and is being treated like a child to begin with.

What ED does she have? How long is she in there for?

She's very lucky to be in the Priory, it is the top EDU in the country - there really are some awful places with CRAZY people and awful staff.

If you have any questions say so in the thread and I'll PM you.

Reply 6

Anonymous #3

Nic

Isn't the Priory Hospital a mental health hospital?

Yes, they also have a geriatric unit

Reply 7

Anonymous #3

The EDU patients are kept separate from the rest of the patients in the hospital. I believe there are a number of reasons for this, including...

1. Access to food and toilets in the rest of the hospital
2. ex changing harmful nehaviours with other pateints
3. Many EDU patients are vulnerable young girls.

Reply 8

skcollob

I was an inpatient somewhere else in London but a few of the patients i was there with had previously been an inpatient at the priory. They said it was tough, but good in terms of recovering from your eating disorder. The rooms were pretty comfortable and there seemed to be various groups to keep you occupied. Visitors were welcome and often encouraged - but remember visiting times can be really hard for the patients as they are having a tough time and so if they seem a little on edge its not your company but the situation they are in!
But i found having visitors did help put everything in perspective and remind me why i was fighting to get better. Just remind her that you love her and are there to support her and are proud of what she is doing.
Hope thats been a little help, feel free to PM or ask any other questions and ill help answer if i can! And try not to worry too much - remember its the best place for her to be, and being a hospital her health is priority and she is there because people care for her.
xxxx

Reply 9

notsoperfect

my boyfriend's sister went to the priory for her crack addiction. she got clean, but i heard it was very tough. i doubt it is what it is made out to be by the papers - there are a lot of counselling sessions, and i don't think you're even allowed cigarettes!

Reply 10

soup_dragon87

Priory hospitals are the best mental health places in the country. Excellent staff, service, and recovery rates. I had weekly out-patient appointments for about 3 months a couple of years ago, and I only have positive remarks about the place.

Reply 11

isabella

Thankyou so much for the replies

She's being admitted tomorrow - for about 3 weeks. But obviously it depens on her recovery, etc.

Suffering from Anorexia. ( sorry about spelling ). She's 19 years old. :frown:

Reply 12

g2da3

it was on tv (people were saying how it was REAL run down and etc)

Reply 13

Anonymous #3

notsoperfect

i don't think you're even allowed cigarettes!

Cigarettes and coffee are the only drugs allowed. People chain smoke in the garden all the time. The pebble gravel around all the benches is saturated with cigarette butts.

Reply 14

Anonymous #3

g2da3

it was on tv (people were saying how it was REAL run down and etc)

Nonsense.

Reply 15

Anonymous #4

isabella

Wow - 3 weeks doesn't sound very long. Is it just for stabilisation?
A friend(ish) of mine is being admitted to an EDU at the end of the month and will be there for at least 6 months.

Reply 16

Anonymous #1

My sister is being admitted to, Priory Hospital,Roehampton. She's staying in the Eating disorders Unit.

Does anyone know what it's like ?

Reply 17

la fille danse

Isn't that where Jade Goody went?

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

more adventurous

Isn't that where Jade Goody went?

I have no idea. But do u know anything about the Hospital ?

Reply 19

Doodahdoo

^ She didn't go to the ED unit (I don't even think she was in Roehampton), but she did go to the Priory.

I've never been there, but I know some people who have - from what I've heard, it's really nice. The therapy is great, and they are very helpful with the eating side of things. It's one of the longer-stay more-theraputic places, rather than some of the other ED units that you just eat your way out of.

Have you been to check it out, or have you seen the webpage? xx