Separate wards for the drug-free urged

June 30, 2005 in Adults, Children, Mental Health, Substance misuse

Drug-free patients should be on separate psychiatric wards from
those suffering from cannabis-induced psychosis, a leading mental
health charity has stated.

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of Sane, said it was sometimes
unsafe for suicidal patients who did not take drugs to stay in
psychiatric wards filled with “aggressive” drug users.

She said: “Psychiatrists are saying they are having to take huge
risks with people they know are suicidal but cannot advise them to
come onto the wards because it would be worse for them. They would
be exposed to aggression.”

Charity DrugScope supported the idea of separate wards for people
with drugs and mental health problems so they could get therapy
tailored to their needs.