Henderson hospital in Sutton, Surrey, has an international reputation for its 60 years of research and expertise in treating severe personality disorder.
Personality disorder is a condition usually caused by extreme trauma and childhood abuse and neglect, which typically manifests itself as depression, suicidal urges, self-harm, violence to others, crime, misuse of drugs and alcohol.
Henderson is a last resort for many who have exhausted a variety of mainstream treatments and care, including psychiatric medication, in-patient care, prison sentences and sectioning under the Mental Health Act.
It is unique and, unlike a traditional hospital, residents take responsibility for running the service and medication is replaced by intensive group psychotherapy, socio-therapy, psychodrama and art therapy.
I spent a year at Henderson a decade ago and am now more independent than I ever dreamed of being. At Henderson I learned the tools to take responsibility for myself, to manage my feelings so that I do not resort to self-harm and overdosing. I now work and am no longer a drain on NHS resources.
I remember others at the Henderson who had experienced the worst traumas as children and who had not benefited from treatment in the traditional psychiatric system; they really used the Henderson to deal with the root of their problems and transformed their lives.
Henderson is not closing because it is not needed; it is closing because the government will not resolve the issues around funding the service. Henderson serves a national population, but last year funding was devolved from the national specialist commissioning advisory group to primary care trusts (PCTs).
Before the change in funding, Henderson had a six-month waiting list, after the funding was devolved PCTs stopped referring patients. Last December south west London and St George's mental health trust announced the decision to close Henderson by April 2008 as they could no longer afford to shoulder the responsibility of hosting the hospital.
The decision to close the hospital was challenged and it was decided to seek public consultation, which is likely to go ahead in June. But the damage had been done and the numbers of residents dropped to an all-time low making the hospital unviable as a therapeutic community; the service will be temporarily suspended from April 23 2008.
Worryingly, The Cassel in Ham and Main House, Birmingham, the only other residential services for this client group, are also under threat.
What will happen to others like me? I dread to think. The government says it is investing in local day services for personality disorder, but it is not enough since people with complex needs, who are at great risk, need specialist in-patient treatment.
People with severe personality disorder are among the most vulnerable in society and the most valuable resource for treating them/us is closing. Without proper treatment self-harm, suicide, crime, drug and alcohol misuse will increase.
