Health Based Place of Safety in Devizes gets positive reviews from people detained there under the Mental Health Act

People who are transferred to the Health Based Place of Safety will have been detained there under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act. They are taken there if they pose a threat to themselves or to others.  The purpose of the facility is to keep them safe from harm. They remain there for assessment before being transferred back home or transferred elsewhere for appropriate treatment.

What patients said

Most of the people who took part in the survey reported that their experiences of staying at Health Based Place of Safety was a positive one, with staff being praised for the care they are providing to people in times of extreme emotional distress.

Some of the agency staff who work there on a temporary basis came under fire but recommendations have been made by Healthwatch that more training should be provided so that it aligns with permanent staff and to make sure that high standards of service delivery are maintained.

There were concerns raised from the public about the distance of Devizes from where people live, but with the exception of a couple of people, most felt it was the right place for them to be at the time of a crisis.

Healthwatch Swindon and Healthwatch Wiltshire, both independent statutory bodies, were asked by the CCG to speak directly to service users via telephone interviews.

Carol Willis, Healthwatch Swindon Manager, said:

“We’re happy with the findings of the survey and would like to commend Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership staff, the police, the ambulance service and social workers for the support they offer to people going through a mental health crisis.

“Any negative experiences reported at the Health Based Place of Safety have been fed back to the teams and recommendations made on how the service could be improved”

The Health Based Place of Safety report can be read in full here:

Read the report