A Priory engagement

SINCE it opened its doors to patients in 1987, The Priory Hospital has established an excellent reputation for its standards of medical and nursing care, and for its range of services.

With residential facilities for 46 patients, as well as day care and outpatient services, its highly experienced team is able to treat a variety of mental health problems, including post-natal depression, addictions, work-related stress and eating disorders.

Treatment plans are tailored to the specific needs of the individual by the highly-qualified, multi-disciplinary team, with the primary aim being to restore the patient's health and well-being as quickly as possible.

Probably best known for treating celebrities, the clinic is increasingly becoming accessible to everyday people.

Many patients pay for their own treatment or have it covered by private or corporate medical insurance.

The Priory Hospital offers free assessment for addictions and after-care groups. The NHS pays for some treatments which are not readily available in the community, including inpatient eating disorders and post-natal depression.

POST-NATAL DEPRESSION

NEW mums suffering from post-natal depression, or a condition called puerperal psychosis - a severe form of post-natal depression - can be treated at The Priory Hos-pital and are checked in with their babies for a few weeks.

Some women who have had mental health problems in the past are also admitted as a precaution in case the symptoms return with childbirth.

This system is very successful, with people who would have had an 80 per cent chance of a relapse experiencing no set- backs at all.

Janet Monterisi, who is sister on the ward, explains more about the treatment.

"It's very different for each mother because their needs are different," she said.

"We do baby-care skills with nursery nurses for people who lack confidence in looking after the baby, teaching new mums who are uncertain about how to look after their baby, and a lot of reassurance.

"We involve them in the groups in the whole hospital such as depression management. We have different activities and approaches and we try and make individual care plans for each person.

"You've got to be quite unwell before you're admitted to hospital, but we've got a staggeringly good rate of recovery.

"The physical environment of the hospital is really good - it's non-threatening. But we also have excellent staff and high levels of experience treating psychiatric illness."

EATING DISORDERS

ANOREXIC and bulimic patients admitted to The Priory Hospital for treatment face a very structured programme with work around food, body image and weight gain, as well as physical issues.

The first task is to restore and stabilise weight. Staff plot how much weight a person needs to put on in a certain amount of time and each patient, who will stay for around three months, is weighed twice a week.

Patients are admitted from age 14 and the programme is structured so that any new patients - who are in the majority referred by the NHS - can slot in as they arrive.

Ex-patients and their families can attend an after-care meeting once a week and day patients are also seen, once they have gone through the inpatient programme.

Sarina Wheatman is eating disorders unit manager.

She said: "Once they're physically able, we take them straight to the group situation - working with other eating disorders patients.

"We also do things with them like shopping and eating out in a restaurant. Most people think it's a very nice thing to do, but for them it's very difficult.

"A lot of our therapists have come from a background where they understand the illnesses personally.

"That goes a long way to give an emphatic feel to the work. I think you would only do this work if you wanted to do it."

ADDICTIONS

THE first step for the addictions team is to get a patient to the hospital. Staff offer a free assessment within 24 hours of the first call being made and will then point people in the right direction.

Those who cannot afford to stay at The Priory Hospital are given a list of contact names and numbers for other organisations offering help and support in the community.

Treatment programmes are adapted to suit the individual patient and the unit treats all addictions, ranging from drugs and alcohol to shopping and sex.

The programme has recently been successfully audited by Hampshire Drug Action Team and is recognised as being a leader in the field of addictions treatment.

Patients are also offered free after-care for a year after completing treatment.

The figures speak for themselves - alcoholics off the street going to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have a recovery rate of around five per cent, while two out of three people having treatment at The Priory Hospital will find recovery.

David Nott, addictions treatment programme co-ordinator, was once treated himself at The Priory Hospital and is a recovering alcoholic.

He believes his background, and that of the team, is vital to the work he does.

"For the first time in their life, patients can meet someone who's in recovery, who can understand where they're coming from.

"Apart from the treatment programme, we have a separate women's group and men's group, we have a recovery group and we have a Big Book meeting where we take a section from the book of AA and read and discuss it.

"We do a 12-step abstinence programme and, while people are in treatment, we look at the first three steps: One - I can't do it on my own; Two - They (people in recovery) can help me; Three - I'm going to let them help me.

"You can almost feel the change process going on with people. Around week two the resistance starts to break down.

"I'm happy to have been an alcoholic because otherwise I would have missed out on the life that I have today."

THERAPY SERVICES

Therapy services run treatment programmes for patients with all other mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression, bereavement and work-related stress.

Patients face an extensive programme of activities, including therapy sessions as well as aerobics, yoga and relaxation classes five days a week - with socialisation activities at weekends.

Outpatients can also attend group or individual therapy on a sessional basis.

The length of stay is variable and, again, the treatment package is tailor made for each patient.

Therapy services manager Alan Lee said: "We have an inpatient team and an outpatient team.

"A lot of staff who come here are very well trained and we have the resources to put our people on training programmes to broaden their skills.

"There's a stigma attached to psychiatry, but when you come to a place like this, it's relaxed and it feels nice.

"We also have a family support group so relatives are welcome to come along.

"That's a free service and it's just there to offer them the support to help them gain information on their relative's illness and to give them support."

For more information about The Priory Hospital and its treatment services, call the hospital on 023 8084 0044.