Middlewood Hospital

[beefface 10]

The problem was, when Middlewood finally closed many of the 'long stay' patients found themselves in the care of 'independent services'.These were usually hastily renovated large houses, many around Burngreave where the properties were cheap. These people became a lucrative source of income for the owners of such places as the standard of accomodation, care, food etc was often very poor Many of the more capable patients ended up living alone in flyblown bedsits where they spent long periods isolated and sometimes requiring regular readmission and discharge via the acute services.

[soft ayperth 11]

And a very progressive and world class facility for people like myself who were suffering from mental illnesses that were entirely treatable and needed a place with warmth and compassion closed down!!

 

I'm speaking of course of Whiteley Wood Clinic.

 

That place had an international reputation. When I moved to Canada in 1969 and mentioned Whiteley Wood cClinic to my family doctor in Vancouver, his response was: "Wow. You've been there? I know such a body who is a psychiatrist there. It's a first rate facility."

 

And they closed it down.

 

Reminisce all you wish about Middlewood but the only time it comes to my mind is when I have nightmares. horrible place.

[Ridgewalk 102]

You clearly have a point Soft Aypeth. There were some good people coming into the profession (mental health nursing) in the late 1970s, people with a relatively radical outlook who didn't fit the "Asylum Attendant" stereotype.

[cazzy45 10]

I worked there in 1962 to 1965 as a student nurse,really enjoyed the work,things have moved on dramatically in mental health care,but even then the patients deserved the best care available.

[soft ayperth 11]

The standard of care surely must have progressed since my time as a patient. And I certainly hope that the other wards even back then ran on a different model. My experience was so bad that I faked my recovery just so that I could discharge myself without a hassle. I was in worse shape after I'd spent time in the ward than beforehand but at least I wasn't being treated as a prisoner.

[Mrich 10]

On 30/03/2004 at 08:14, herries said:

Hi.I remember working night shift,as a male nurse on ward 9 in Kingswood block in the 1960s.I used to sit in the staff room,which was at the corner of the building on the top floor.The small room had a huge mantlepiece and a big roaring open fire.The wind used to howl round the corner of the building,and I used to read victorian novels.Mostly Dickens and Trollope.the place had real atmosphere on wild winter nights.I remember being on duty there during the great Sheffield gale of 1961.I was on a ward dormitory of approx 50 male patients and just myself.The patients slept all night exept when they passed the door to go to the toilet,or when one would come in to borrow a fag and have a smoke with me and a chinwag.I had known all of them for years,and they Knew me.We were more like old friends.Nothing to be scared about.Its a shame that the hospital was knocked down because the Canadian houses of Parliment in Ottawa were built at the same time as middlewood hospital,and look similar in design.[Neo Gothic].I now live in Western Canada and have many fond memories of Middlewood hospital.

Do you remember my late Uncle Barry Saxby, he was a nurse there, I'm not certain of the dates, late 60s early 70s? Many thanks for your memories

[bazza63 12]

I was parked on M/wood rd opp the main gate when a pationt stood on the main rd waitng for a large zehicle a lorry arrived he dived strait undernet it the lorry driver was very upset I think he came from Blackburn, I went to the coroners court to say it was,nt his fault

[bazza63 12]

I grew up with Barry Saxby in Worrall, beleive he went to Rampton Hospital.