Losing It: Our Mental Health Emergency

Through January and February 2020 Channel 4 broadcast a series on mental health in our region. Titled Losing It: Our Mental; Health Emergency, the series gained access to Nottinghamshire Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest mental health trusts.

With demand rising and resources stretched like never before, the series explored the unprecedented pressure on mental health services and the seemingly impossible decisions that clinicians have to make every day. The series places viewers at the heart of the complex decision-making process, giving a unique insight into the pressures and challenges mental health trusts and patients must deal with daily. Told with a frank first person perspective, this series gives a very personal view of mental illness in 2019; the tragedy, humour and complex challenges.

John Brewin is Chief Executive of the Trust:

John Brewin - Chief Executive at the trust “Our staff come across as unfailingly compassionate and caring, a credit to the Trust. The Individuals who have allowed the cameras into their lives when at their most vulnerable are an example to us all in their honesty, refreshing insight and positivity.

“This is a series we can all be proud of. It covers a diverse range of mental health and we see the brilliant care being delivered by staff along with the challenges they face daily. Patients allowed us in at the most sensitive time for them and the main feedback all patients have given after viewing their episode is that they are very proud of themselves - which is brilliant and what we hoped to achieve.

“We hope this series has helped raise debate and robust conversation around resources and the state of mental health today; alongside championing the brilliant work our staff all do.”

The Trust made the decision to take part in the series in April 2019 to try and further reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. The production company, Story Films, has an impressive track record in making sensitive films that deal with difficult topics. Filming took place across Nottinghamshire during the summer of 2019 and features patients with a wide variety of diagnoses, including young people, families and people in crisis.

Episode 1 - Laura & Briena

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Laura and BrienaEpisode 1 - Laura & Briena

As attitudes to mental health change during a surge in the number of people asking for help or harming themselves, this series joins the frontline care services in our Healthcare Trust.

Two weeks after becoming a mum, Laura is sectioned having tried to drive into a brick wall. And is 11-year-old Briena really suicidal, or is the underlying diagnosis more complicated?

Episode 2 - Three Teenage Girls

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Olivia and Nichola Episode 2 - Three Teenage Girls

As attitudes to mental health change during a surge in the number of people asking for help or harming themselves, this series joins the frontline care services in our Healthcare Trust.

A young teen comes to A&E having self-harmed. A 16-year-old is on the psychiatric ward. And a 14-year-old's eating disorder risks permanent harm to her body.

Episode 3 - Josh, Christopher & Zoe

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Josh Episode 3 - Josh

As attitudes to mental health change during a surge in the number of people asking for help or harming themselves, this series joins the frontline care services in our Healthcare Trust.

Josh is brought to A&E after trying to kill himself. Is it safe to send the 15-year-old home? After 11 years and multiple issues, Christopher faces being discharged from the service.

Episode 4 - Street Triage

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Episode 4 Episode 4 - Street Triage

As attitudes to mental health change during a surge in the number of people asking for help or harming themselves, this series joins the frontline care services in our Healthcare Trust.

Street Triage is a blue-light rapid response emergency team, consisting of psychiatric nurse Linda and police officer Rich. In Nottinghamshire alone, the number of attempted suicides on each shift is staggering. Sometimes Linda and Rich reach a scene in time to make a difference but tragically, sometimes they can’t. Patients often plead for a bed on a psychiatric ward but they’re in short supply. And whilst admission to a ward might give respite to a family, Cerise’s mum discovers it is normally short-lived, as she has to travel thousands of miles around the UK to visit her 21-year-old daughter in secure hospitals.

 

 

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