Bowmere Hospital - Chester

AMP128 6. D.

My son (age 35) was sectioned to this ward in August after 10 years of Psychotic symptoms on & off through heavy Cannabis smoking on top of being born with MLD. All the staff were excellent, very caring with my son & with myself on the phone and in person. At first my son had to be forcibly medicated for his own safety. Dr Simita & all the staff that I met or talked to on the phone treated us respectfully and were very caring. They obviously have a very difficult job to do. I know I couldn't do it myself. After 3 weeks my son stabilised on a medication regime and was allowed to come home. Since then he has remained Cannabis free & is doing very well. Thank God for these people who work inside this hospital everyday doing their best for the patients. Amazing work. A very big heartfelt thank you from us

Callum W.

I got sent here as an informal patient and I happened to be physically unwell I was coughing up blood and was stuck in bed and staff wouldn’t even help me get a cup of water and refused me any medical help so had to discharge myself. They just let me go they didn’t even do an assessment to see if I was mentally ready to leave. Just got told that the other people here was worse than me and it’s probably best I leave. I know it’s no 5 star hotel but the beds were like bricks I couldn’t even last a few nights on them never mind a few weeks-months.

Adam M.

Abysmal service. No activities or programs during the day to keep patients occupied or to improve mental wellbeing. We are just left to aimlessly pace the ward. Staff do not listen to patients needs wants or issues. I’ve witnessed staff squaring up to patients rather than trying to defuse situations. I’ve watched male staff ogling female patients. As a veteran of this country I have received no priority care as promised by the nhs when they signed the armed forces covenant. Truly an awful establishment not a place conclusive to helping people suffering with mental health issues. I urge the nhs to look at these reviews and take action and stop letting my country folk down.

ALICIA D.

Not safe
Facts Two preventable deaths in two weeks at this hospital February March 2024
More people will die at this hospital so very sad
our NHS is broken !

MrLamphy

I've rated it 1 star but I actually think looking back in memory peoples care is 5 star. They forces medication on me and I learned there is no such law that enables a hospital or NHS staff to do such things. There were no grounds with things to do such a thing. I do believe they definitely missed the things.
2022-2023,..

LBaz

Shocking ward. They just leave you to suffer in silence. Useless all they do is house you.

Dannii E.

1 star as no option for 0!! My family member stayed here and had the most distressing experience, this place is supposed to promote mental health and well being and it does the entire opposite! whilst a very small percentage of staff were very good overall the service provided is awful.Staff lied to family and caused alot of distress, no medications offered, no engagement with patients, patients smoking in main communal areas on the ward, patients having lighters in there possession, staff walk past patients and visitors acting like your not there, dangerous items being left in patients bedroom that we were assured would be locked away for patients safety, no communication between staff patients and immediate family members, no information for patient or family on arrival, you can never get through to the ward phone just rings out.If it can be helped don't allow your loved ones here, my family member was ten times worse when leaving this hospital!!

louis T.

Recently stayed on beech ward. Some of the nurses treated the ward like a military boot camp where as others were very kind. A very mixed bag. Leanne, Izzy, Alana and Radu made my stay much more bare able. Out of everyone those 4 were the kindest and most suited to be working on a mental health ward. and made sure I got everything I needed. Tyler was also supportive the few times we interacted.

The rest of the staff should consider becoming prisons guards rather than mental health support workers. We have a long way to go until the stigma around mental health is changed. But the names listed above are doing very positive work to help that. The food was average what you should expect from a hospital, however small portions.

There wasn’t much to do besides two TV rooms and a pool table. Lack of facilities which drives boredom and also below average gym and refusal to allow patients to go to the gym/get fresh air used as a punishment which is counter productive for the reason you are there.

During my time there my shower also flooded which the staff refused to clean until much much later on. 3/10 but it would be much lower with out the kind nurses.