"ladywell unit staff ignore mental health patients and family members"

My sister has been recently detained at the Ladywell unit at Lewisham Hospital, South East London.

I went to visit her for the first time on the triage ward to find she is limping, when walking. I ask her why is she limping when yesterday you weren't. Her reply was the staff had done it when injecting her with medication. I then ask her does she have a key worker that she feels she can talk to. Her reply was that the staff ignore her when she asks a question.

I decided to check for myself and found an office, with a male and female working in it, on the triage ward. I approached the window and neither one of them acknowledge me by keeping their heads at their computer screens. After a minute, the women looked up and asked me what I wanted. I asked her is there anybody available for my sister to talk to or ask any questions?

Her response was, the patient can talk to anybody and she said she had spoken to the patient herself about having a key worker. This women talking to me didn't seem very approachable or caring. She never greeted me with a smile or said hello. She slid her swivel chair to the door and didn't bother getting up. My reply to her is maybe the patients shouldn't be told on the day they are admitted as they are quickly injected with drugs after arriving. She then told me to have a look on the board to find out the patient's key worker.

The staff I met in my opinion were ignorant and rude. They appear disinterested in their jobs. Filling in paper work and administering medication seems to leave little room for patient welfare. It's like going back in time.