The care that psychiatric patients receive in hospital has more recently become the focus of attention in the light of media reports of poor practice, coercive treatments and callous behaviour by staff. In this session, we aim to to draw attention to the experience of inpatient care drawing on literature including fiction and autobiographical accounts.
Femi Oyebode will discuss a classic text dealing with the toxic environment of private asylums in the early 1800s. John Perceval (1803-1876) was the son of Spencer Perceval, Prime Minister from 1806 until his assassination in 1812. In his 'Narrative of the Treatment of a Gentleman' he described his treatment at Brislington House and Ticehurst House, both private asylums.
Allan Beveridge will focus on Alasdair Gray’s (1934-2019) novels, 'Lanark' and '1982, Janine'. These novels are literary reworkings of Gray’s experience of mental illness. Lanark will feature on the cover of the BJPsych next year.
Horatio Clare, a writer and broadcaster will talk about his experiences of mental illness and the care that he received drawing on his book 'Heavy Light. An Account of Mental Illness'.
This session aims to:
- Raise awareness of the subjective experience of patients of the psychiatric care environment.
- Illustrate the value of the medical humanities as a teaching tool that makes explicit the life of patients as they deal with their illness.
- Raise the value of the arts within psychiatric practice.
Chair: Hannah Ali, East London NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
Femi Oyebode, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
Allan Beveridge, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Horatio Clare, Independent Writer and Journalist, London, United Kingdom
Hannah Ali, East London NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
