Memories of care in the mental hospital
The audio and written extracts below from the oral histories of former staff that took part in the Hidden Memories project highlight some of the undesirable aspects of care provided in the now-closed mental hospitals in Nottingham. However, some participants also highlighted aspects of care provided in the old system that were perceived to be helpful for recovery.
Participants recount their own memories of the impact of innovation to care practices with the advent of social psychiatry at the Nottingham mental hospitals. These innovations included the introduction of the open-door policy, access to psycho-social treatments like group and family therapy, a varied programme of recreational activities, and early community care.
If you would like to share your memories, please get in touch.
“When I started in 1966 the long-stay patients didn't have their own clothes, clothes were kept in a ward store room on a stock basis, and at bedtime the patients used to come and they'd ask can I have a bundle for morning nurse?”
Kate Holmes
“The thing that did help, sometimes coming into hospital was like a sanctuary.”
Christine Millburn
The Coppice Hospital, now repurposed into luxury flats.
Christine Millburn
Christine trained as a mental health nurse in early 1980s at Mapperley hospital and worked at the Coppice hospital. After qualifying, she joined the Rehabilitation and Community Care Service, (RCCS), in Nottingham that developed community care, which became a national demonstration centre. In this interview extract she reflects on the aspect of sanctuary that the institutions provided for people undergoing a mental health crisis.
“If you go into the canteen everybody would know each other.”
Administrator and later secretary at Mapperley in the mid-1980s
“Everybody would know each other back then, some people had been there for many years, and it felt very supportive and very friendly. I got to know quite a lot of the patients. We would sit and chat, and they would know me and say hello, and it felt like much like I said before, as a community both with the staff and the patients.”
Administrator and later secretary at Mapperley in the mid-1980s who went on to train as a social worker in mental health.
“Working as a psychiatric nurse was a job that I loved. The whole ambience of the psychiatric hospital was a family.”
John Stevenson
Aerial view of Saxondale Hospital.
John Stevenson
John Stevenson trained and worked as a nurse at Saxondale and later St Ann's hospital from 1963 to 1976. In this audio clip, he describes the mental hospitals as family-like environments.
“It always seemed such a friendly place when I visited for the flower show.”
Kate Holmes
“Because Dr Macmillan opened all the doors, things were happening at Mapperley hospital that were innovative. In the mid-to-late 60s things were changing, and gradually the nurse-patient relationships was seen to be very important.”
Judith Estrop
Judith Estrop featuring in an advert to recruit nurses at Mapperley hospital, 1967
Judith Estrop
Judith joined Mapperley hospital in 1965 when she was 18 years old to work in the medical records department. In 1966 she trained as a psychiatric nurse and later joined the School of Nursing at the hospital. She moved to the Queens Medical Centre with the Nursing School until she retired in 2006. In this audio extract, Judith recalls the benefits of the old system of care such as the social networks that existed therein and the importance of having access to a place of sanctuary
“I remember some of the ladies on the rehabilitation ward taking huge pride in caring for the place that they lived.”
MariaPaola
MariaPaola Ditch
MariaPaola trained as a student nurse at Saxondale hospital 3 years before closure (1985-1988). She went on to work as a nurse at the new inpatient acute wards at the Queens Medical Centre that replaced the mental hospitals. In this audio extract, she reflects on the importance of social and occupational activities for the patients at Saxondale and how this element of care was affected with the advent of community care.
“There was a daily routine that never really changed very much.”
Former nurse
Former recreation hall at Mapperley hospital.
Former nurse
This former nurse started her training at Mapperley hospital in 1964 as a cadet nurse and stayed working as a nurse for 7 years. In this interview extract, she recalls her memories of the issues faced by patients when they first moved into the community.
"The patients weren't allowed to stay in bed longer or go to bed earlier if they wanted to. It was quite regimented in that way, but it got better. I remember a new ward being opened on the female side of the hospital that took male patients and I used to go to group meetings, the patients sat around talking about things and that was the first time really I'd ever seen that and I think it was quite helpful."
“My earliest memories as a child are of Mapperley hospital.”
Mark Holmes
Mark Holmes
Mark trained as a nurse at St Luke's hospital in Huddersfield in 1991. He got a job as a mental health nurse at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham in 1994. His mum was a nurse at Mapperley hospital from the 1960s onwards, who used to take him onto the wards when he was a child. In this audio extract, he recalls his first memories as a child, which are of Mapperley hospital.
Image Gallery
Below are a selection of images and articles showing the transition to early Community Care in and around Nottingham.
Kate Holmes stand at Notts Healthcare Trust
Campaign to save Beeston Community Centre, 2015
Caring home from home. Nottingham Evening Post, Dec 12th, 1994.
Revisiting bad days of old. Nottingham Evening Post, Sept 20, 2003
End of an era. Nottingham Evening Post. Dec 5, 1994.