Casualty Bbc1 Tonight

[hoodbran1]

Ive been following the story of an overworked, undervalued Doctor on the TV show Casualty, last week she attempted suicide and the situation threatens to put the hospital under public scrutiny, on tonights episode one of the board members barked out that Ruth (the doc who SH'd) has BPD and the hospital wants that in public domain? - Ruth lays in ICU non responsive - it was relayed across as a disorder of all disorders, i wish they would research properly these illnesses before they portray them on TV, i hate the television anyways, it's a purveyor of inter-viewer emotional roller coaster rides.

[NickyP]

i was outraged too.

[19ellie]

I haven't seen it yet - will watch it later on BBCi

[tripper]

Reading this makes my blood start to boil, urge to kill rising as Homer would say... :angry:

[bibiddi]

I saw Casualty, and was outraged that the NHS would treat someone with any form of mental health that way. But I do think that they have done the storyline really well.

I have shed many tears over it.

[pain-dance]

Ive been following the story of an overworked, undervalued Doctor on the TV show Casualty, last week she attempted suicide and the situation threatens to put the hospital under public scrutiny, on tonights episode one of the board members barked out that Ruth (the doc who SH'd) has BPD and the hospital wants that in public domain? - Ruth lays in ICU non responsive - it was relayed across as a disorder of all disorders, i wish they would research properly these illnesses before they portray them on TV, i hate the television anyways, it's a purveyor of inter-viewer emotional roller coaster rides.

I think Casualty's portrayal of a PD sufferer was pretty sympathetic. When I was a nursing student in Nottingham (okay, not in the same league as a doctor), I was obsessed with the job and scoring brownie points, including over-working, covering my back and fantasising about saving the whole of humanity. Luckily, one mentor told me straight what I was a liability and, if she was required to provide me with a reference, would tell of her concerns. I quit the course in a depression, but thank fuck I didn't qualify, or would have damaged more people than just myself.

One thing to bear in mind is that this Ruth character is recieving a lot of moral support from colleagues and is clearly being portrayed as a person with real feelings, who has been damaged by life, but who has, so far, survived against incredible odds: certainly not a psychopathic monster.

It's vital that the health care professions provide genuine support to workers who crack under the pressure, whilst recognising that the patients' safety has to come first: this cannot be compromised, even if the Ruths of the world have to find another line of work.

[Paris]

I didnt watch it last night as I watched the previous weeks and it got me down, it could have been me! I have had a bad experience of working in the NHS- not as a doctor like Ruth but as a nurse and I have been treated badly, I was "outed" as having BPD by a colleague and told I was a "danger" to my clients, long long story but my point is I agree wuth pain-dance that Casualty portayed Ruths story in a sympathetic way as she did have the support of her colleagues something which I did not experience.

In fact one occupational health nurse told me that someone with bpd would never work in the NHS due to the Beverly Allitt case- which I then pointed out she had Maunchausens by proxy and not BPD!!! But guess who won they did and I lost my job for gross misconduct- the gross misconduct being I had bpd and hadnt put it down on the my health declaration- for exactly the reasons that they had just proved!! Prejudice! anyway I have ranted and taklen over this post now ooops sorry !!!

[colourfulcarly]

ive just watched it on iplayer and think that having given ruth a dx of bpd without even talkin to her is wrong. surely for any dx to be given to a person they need to have spoken to a pdoc bout what they are experienceing.

but on the other hand i think that they have portrayed her case really well the other doc and nurses are supportive of her and not dising her for what she has done. i hope that this isnt the end of ruth and that this isnt the end of what we hear of her bpd because hopefully if they can continue on the path they have it might help with the publics perseption of it.

i have also worked in the hospital as a nursing auxilliary and never gave my dx in occy health when applied i found that some nurses were fine with me when they found out and others werent.

[sundries]

oh dear missed episode where they dx her with BPD. wish id seen it.

have been following storyline quite closely and have felt so sorry for her and identified so much with her (guess I know why now). I do think its pretty bad that they sound like theyve just made the diagnosis on the basis that she tried to kill herself!! I think that rather reinforces stereotypes.

dont think there is much point in trying to work in NHS if yu have a personality disorder health and social care professionals are more stigmatising than any other people in society in my opinion

[hoodbran1]

hey, i watched it again with my borther who lives with me and even he agreed that the portrayal could have gone more finer, even if their intention was to highlight the illness we have... - to tell yall the truth, i didn expect such a discussion, ty all for reading! (and watching) :)

[lucy]

I think it delt with it well, on one hand we saw the the ruth that was the doctor who was a cow, then after she hung herself you did see a different side to her

After the beverley allit case the clothier report suggested guidlines to try and prevent it happing again. People who self harmed, had psych help should be free from psysch help and or self harm before the start to practisce 3 yrs free i think

[Paris]

I think it delt with it well, on one hand we saw the the ruth that was the doctor who was a cow, then after she hung herself you did see a different side to her

After the beverley allit case the clothier report suggested guidlines to try and prevent it happing again. People who self harmed, had psych help should be free from psysch help and or self harm before the start to practisce 3 yrs free i think

Ok so you think that people should be free from for 3 yrs from any psych help or sh before they practice? Damn that makes me angry! I know several people who sh and work in the NHS and do a damn good job too! I understand that people need to be fairly stable and all that but does that make us unsafe to practise? Cos im completly sure i never put a patient at risk and I actually had a good understanding of my clients that sh'ed. I think if someone who has MH problems is well supported in their job they can work extremly well! Dont think just beacuse someone sh's that makes them likely to go on and commit crimes like beveryl allitt did at all!! Thats like saying someone who has been through any sort of treatment shouodnt pracitse until they have had 3 yyrs free from their illness?!! I find your view slightly annoying and judgemental!

sundries i know i have had a bad experience of working in the nhs etc but that was partly down to me not being truthful about my dx, i have worked in the voluntary sector and had no problems at all, social care didnt seem to be quite such a problem.

I think we all deserve a chance and with the right support should be able to work where we want!!!!!

Actually come to think of it would much rather be treated by someone who really understood me than someone undiagnosed!!

[tripper]

hey just gotta ask, is there somewhere I can download this ep? I'm in Australia and we don't have the series here.

[Paris]

trip I think its www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer and then i think you click on casualty.

[tripper]

oooooh thanks lou! Off to watch casualty.... see what ur all on about.

Damn-- says it will only work in the UK.

I need the season and episode number to download from a torrent.

[19ellie]

I was a student nurse, with undiagnosed BPD (though it was dx depression) and was SHing. I never put my patients at risk, the occ health doctor knew I was SHing and supported me to go back to work.

My poor experience was because I was ill at the time, and couldn't finish the course. Not that I want to Nurse anymore, because its not nursing now, but I still want to work in the sector, in interpreting for Deaf people with MH probs.

Not sure what I think of the episode - they've portrayed Ruth well, and maybe the lack of info on BPD is about in line with MH anyway?

[Mole]

I watched casuality - the Doctor attempted to take her life - because she felt resposible for the patient's death

This happens all the time in the psychiatric community - when people have had enough and take their own lives - their friends left behind - find it easy to to feel responsible - and feel guilty.

[icu_baby]

I think it delt with it well, on one hand we saw the the ruth that was the doctor who was a cow, then after she hung herself you did see a different side to her

After the beverley allit case the clothier report suggested guidlines to try and prevent it happing again. People who self harmed, had psych help should be free from psysch help and or self harm before the start to practisce 3 yrs free i think

Ok so you think that people should be free from for 3 yrs from any psych help or sh before they practice? Damn that makes me angry! I know several people who sh and work in the NHS and do a damn good job too! I understand that people need to be fairly stable and all that but does that make us unsafe to practise? Cos im completly sure i never put a patient at risk and I actually had a good understanding of my clients that sh'ed. I think if someone who has MH problems is well supported in their job they can work extremly well! Dont think just beacuse someone sh's that makes them likely to go on and commit crimes like beveryl allitt did at all!! Thats like saying someone who has been through any sort of treatment shouodnt pracitse until they have had 3 yyrs free from their illness?!! I find your view slightly annoying and judgemental!

sundries i know i have had a bad experience of working in the nhs etc but that was partly down to me not being truthful about my dx, i have worked in the voluntary sector and had no problems at all, social care didnt seem to be quite such a problem.

I think we all deserve a chance and with the right support should be able to work where we want!!!!!

Actually come to think of it would much rather be treated by someone who really understood me than someone undiagnosed!!

Couldn't agree more Loula.

Lucy, you pointed to Beverley Allit's case but did not point out Dr Death who is Britain's worst serial killer - yeah I am sure he had BPD too.

In Australia there are more deaths a year by Doctors mistakes than there are deaths by car accidents due to Dr negligence - and this is because doctors are incompetent. Mental illness is not an issue if it doesn't effect your work. Also, the poor Doctor was over-worked with long hours and she attempted suicide. Alot of Doctors and Dentists do actually, it doesn't mean they have BPD.

[hoodbran1]

oooooh thanks lou! Off to watch casualty.... see what ur all on about.

Damn-- says it will only work in the UK.

I need the season and episode number to download from a torrent.

Just a thought, would a proxy server from the UK to http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer work out? it's a shame not to get casualty as it rocks!

[tripper]

nah hoodbran, tried that too and it froze my computer.

[bibiddi]

Hoodbran, I love Casualty too.

I dont know if it was Lucys personal opinion, or whether its the NHS guidelines.

I know its an emotional subject, but my personal opinion is if you arent stable you shouldnt be working in the NHS.For the safety of the patients and yourself.

Like Ruth, she made mistakes, because she was ill.(I think she was undiagnosed though).She ended up trying to kill herself because of those mistakes.

I'd have rather kept her out of such a job, and she and her patients would be alive.

[hoodbran1]

nah hoodbran, tried that too and it froze my computer.

ill try to convert the vid so it's smaller in size but not lenght and upload it to youtube for ya...

[lucy]

I didnt say thats what i thought. It was what was said in the Cloither report

"Mental Health Screening and Nurse TrainingThe Clothier Report, an independent inquiry into the deaths and injuries caused by children's nurse Beverly Allitt, recommended stricter criteria for selection to and progress in nurse training (Clother et al, 1994). Eight of the report's 12 recommendations relate to tougher screening procedures. It endorses the advice of the Chairman of the Association of NHS Occupational Physicians, who suggested 'excessive absence through sickness, excessive use of counselling or medical facilities, or self-harming behaviour such as attempted suicide, self-laceration or eating disorder are better guides than psychological testing'. It was also stated that 'applicants who show one or more of these patterns should not be accepted for training until they have shown the ability to live an independent life without professional support and have been in stable employment for at least 2 years'.

There is alot of info about this report on the net

I mearley said i think because i am unsure of the full report

[rebeccaborderline]

.... but did not point out Dr Death who is Britain's worst serial killer - yeah I am sure he had BPD too.

Icu_baby, I presume you are referring to Harold Shipman? Why on earth would you think he has BPD??!! I can't think of anyone further from the criteria! If anything he showed narcissicm and anti-social traits, if he had anything at all, as I dont believe that all people who commit very serious crimes have a mental illness. Unfashionable as it is, I think some people are just bad, and do not value human life.

The comment about "doctors are incompetent" is also a bit of a damning and sweeping generalisation isnt it? That is not my experience. And I'd rather have access to doctors than not.

rebeccaborderline

[InterruptedHappiness]

I havent really watched it but briefly saw it the other night and hear the word BPD I just stopped talking to my boyfriend n focused on the programme like I havent done with anything before. I didn't watch the first episode so I dont know whether they portrayed BPD either fairly or unfairly