A person leaning against a wall and laughing.

Inpatient care

What are my freedoms and rights?

Having been to a Mental Health Tribunal, some advice I would give on how to prepare is to make sure you genuinely feel like you have a solid case behind you, and that you and those around you genuinely feel that it’s the right decision.

What about my things, my friends and my family?

I never thought I would gain friends from being in a hospital. I still talk to them a few years on, and because we lived with each other at our worst, it’s become a very strong relationship of sharing problems and understanding each other.
Tom

What care and support will I get?

Inpatient care may seem daunting, but it’s an important step in getting back the more manageable life you deserve. It will be tough, but you’ll have lots of support from both specialists and peers to help you along the way. You can do this!

What happens when you leave hospital?

‘Discharged’ means leaving hospital when doctors think you are well enough. This can bring up mixed feelings for you and your family, and it’s normal to worry about coping at home. But the hospital will put support in place for you.

  • Discharge Care Programme Approach (CPA)

    A CPA meeting will plan how your community will care for you. They’ll assign you a keyworker (from CAMHS, AMHS or another mental health service) as your main contact. You’ll also get a main contact for any other services involved, like a social worker, or Early intervention Support worker. Your family should know who to reach out to in a crisis.

  • Appointments with your mental health team

    You should get dates for your first appointments with the mental health team you are discharged to. This is so you know what support you’ll have continuing your recovery after discharge.

  • Planning your support outside of hospital

    Shortly before discharge, you can have a joint meeting with your family and your keyworker. You’ll discuss what helped at hospital and how to support you at home.

    There are helplines and other services for extra support alongside community services.

Two young people standing together and smiling, one has their arm around the shoulder of the other.
During treatment I learnt so much. I began to think of things to look forward to and reasons to recover. I now enjoy doing artwork and I’m going back to school in September. There is so much more out there in the world than a stubborn cycle of mental illness, and my past doesn’t define me.
Abbi, 16

Complaints and how to make them

If NHS staff have treated you unfairly, whether that's in CAMHS, in an inpatient ward or in your GP surgery, you can make a complaint. To make a complaint about treatment in the NHS, follow these steps:

  • 1. Write your complaint

    You can complain by post, email, or phone. You can also use a BSL interpreter if needed. Make sure to include your name, contact info, and details about the service you’re complaining about.

  • 2. Send your complaint

    Send your complaint to the NHS or to your local CAMHS.

  • 3. Wait for a response

    The NHS should reply within three working days and keep you updated during their investigation. You’ll receive a written response once the investigation is complete.

For more details on how to complain to the NHS, take a look on the NHS website.

How to complain to NHS England

If you're not happy with the results of your complaint, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. You can also write to your MP who can complain on your behalf. If none of this works, you could speak to a solicitor about your options for taking legal action.

Get help now

Ellern mede logo. Underneath the logo it says 'specialists in eating disorders treatment'.

With thanks to Ellern Mede and the Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health.