Secure hospital detention 'scarred' autistic woman
Lucy Bowerman, from Witney, Oxfordshire, said being sectioned at 12 years old, before being diagnosed with autism, left her mentally "scarred".
She is part of a campaign that has called for an end to the detention of people with autism or learning difficulties.
The Department for Health and Social care said its "proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act [would] ensure people get the support they need in the community".
Miss Bowerman told BBC Radio Oxford's Sophie Law she was first sectioned after suffering from "autistic burnout" and attempting to take her own life.
"I had a feeling they saw that as depression at the time, whereas we realise now that I was just very, very deep into autistic burnout and struggling to cope," she said.
"[Secure hospitals] weren't very pleasant places to be. I was only 12 and most of the other patients were 15 or 16 plus.
"That was quite scary being surrounded by some very, very unwell people at such a young age."
Miss Bowerman is co-chair of Oxfordshire charity My Life My Choice, which is run by people with learning disabilities.
The group took part in a protest in Westminster in April against proposed changes in the government's Mental Health Bill.
The government wants to change the law so that disabled and autistic people cannot be detained under the act in most circumstances, unless they have a co-occurring mental health disorder.
Miss Bowerman said the changes do not go far enough and more support should be available in the community so people can live in "good homes".
She said: "The reason I'm involved... is partly to get justice for my younger self, who shouldn't have been put through what I was put through.
"But most importantly, for the people who are still locked up in these places because this should not be happening in this day and age."
In December the BBC reported that the current wait for people seeking a diagnosis for autism in Oxfordshire is 18 years.
Miss Bowerman said: "If we're unable to effectively diagnose people and support them, there are going to be more people ending up in burnout... and ending up in these institutions."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "The number of autistic people and people with a learning disability in mental health hospitals is unacceptable.
"Through our proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act, we will ensure people get the support they need in the community, closer to home, improving care and keeping people out of hospitals.
"We welcome stakeholders' contributions, including through the public consultation, and will engage further as the bill progresses through Parliament."
You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Mental health law 'won't stop detentions'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Mom Captures Moment With Newborn—Not Knowing Days Later She'll Be Sectioned
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A U.K. mom captured a happy moment with her baby, not knowing that, days later, she would be sectioned. Jade Lloyd (@jadealloyd) posted a reel on Instagram smiling and playing with her newborn daughter, but, behind the scenes, the 31-year-old was falling apart. Lloyd told Newsweek that she had struggled mentally after giving birth. At her six-week checkup, she tried to speak out, but her doctor didn't take any notice. From left: Jade Lloyd holds her baby daughter while standing up. From left: Jade Lloyd holds her baby daughter while standing up. @jadealloyd "It got progressively worse, which then started to turn into suicidal thoughts," Lloyd said. After finally receiving a diagnosis of postnatal depression and being prescribed antidepressants, Lloyd felt pressure to appear as if she were improving. "[I] started putting on a front, although, inside, I was falling apart," Lloyd said. "I was trying to hold it together until my brain couldn't handle it anymore, and it turned into psychosis." Sleep deprivation, she was later told by clinicians, likely contributed to the onset of acute psychosis. "Over the period of a week, I probably slept a total of 10 hours," Lloyd added. Lloyd was sectioned under the U.K.'s Mental Health Act and was admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit—a specialist facility where mothers can receive psychiatric care while staying with their infants. "Initially, [it] felt like a prison, and, when I was sectioned, it meant I was unable to leave," Lloyd said. "My daughter and I were able to stay together, which was vital for my recovery, as I kept thinking I had killed her. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like if I wasn't able to be with her." Despite facing challenges during her stay, Lloyd said that her experience was positive overall, and she praised the staff who worked there. "They listened, cared for myself and my daughter, and gave me space to heal. I will be forever grateful for them," she said. Following her release after a month, Lloyd struggled with depression and found it difficult even to get out of bed. Given that she wasn't permitted to drive for three months, Lloyd felt isolated in her small town. Thankfully, friends and family rallied around to help her find a way forward. "Now I would say I'm in the best place I've been," Lloyd said. "I go back and volunteer [at the Mother and Baby Unit] and do the moms' nails. It's healing and rewarding at the same time." Lloyd has also built an online platform to raise awareness and support others. "The response has been positive, and I hope to grow this and go on to do more advocacy work to help better maternal care for mental health," Lloyd said. To mothers who might be struggling, Lloyd offered this message: "Whether you've just given birth, or you are three years into your motherhood journey, you are doing amazing. "Even if you're struggling with your mental health and you're just scraping by every single day, know that you are enough for your baby, and nothing can change that. "There is light out there, and if you are in the darkness, there is a way out. It takes time and work, but you've got this," Lloyd said.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Carers need to be seen and heard, says charity CEO
Carers on the Isle of Man increasingly "need to be heard and seen", the chief executive of a charity which supports them has said. A report produced by the Crossroads charity in conjunction with the Department for Health and Social Care revealed that carers were continuing to feel the "far-reaching" pressures of their responsibilities. Crossroads chief executive Jackie Betteridge said the research demonstrated that "we haven't moved on at all" in recent years when it comes to better supporting carers. She said that while they "save our island a small fortune" they are not properly recognised in legislation. Ms Betteridge said: "It is the recognition that carers are members of the community and they need to be heard and be seen. "If we didn't have family carers then their loved ones would have to be institutionalised, and how would we as an island afford that?" She said it was important to collect data on carers and their experiences, and "have a better understanding of how your life can change in a heartbeat". When someone becomes a carer, said Ms Betteridge, "suddenly the independence you have as a person is ripped away from you and your loved one and it changes every aspect of the dynamics of your family life". Carers include those who look after family, neighbours, friends or partners for a number of reasons, including physical illnesses, disabilities, mental health concerns or addiction. The 2021 census showed there were more than 4,869 people over the age of 10 providing care or support for someone on the island. Diane Torin, who is sole carer for her 28-year-old son who has complex needs, said carers "don't have the same freedom as normal people and we are reliant upon support". She said she looks after her "inspirational and resilient fighter" of a son out of love and compassion, adding that "he has a lot to bring to the table". Speaking from personal experience, Ms Torin said: "You have to build your world around the person that you care for, your job has to be flexible, and I am on-call all the time. "Even during your sleep you are mindful of if the person is ok. "Our lives are committed to those we love." She said carers also need support. Without it, she warned that "your whole world falls apart". Ms Torin explained: "It can have an impact on your own health, you can feel down and as a carer you think nobody is listening to you." Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Health of carers continues to suffer, survey finds Views wanted on support available for carers Carers strategy approved despite funding questions Manx carers face mental health issues, study finds Crossroads Carers Survey Isle of Man Government - Carers Crossroads Isle of Man
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Yahoo
'I'm scared dad will die in hospital 140 miles away'
A son has said he is being robbed of precious time with his father after he was placed in a mental health hospital nearly 140 miles from home. Bernard Mendoza, 83, who has dementia, had to be moved from his Wrexham care home after he became aggressive towards staff and other residents, but the nearest suitable bed was in Northampton. His son Danny Mendoza has called the system "broken", and is worried about his father "passing away in there, and being so far from home". Betsi Cadwaladr health board said it was "extremely sorry," and wanted to bring him home as soon as possible. I love dad to bits - but being his carer has broken me 'I know I'm going to have early onset dementia' 'I do press ups every day so I can care for my son' Earlier this year, Danny, 54, from Gresford in Wrexham, told BBC Wales how he had been the sole unpaid carer for his father after he developed dementia three years ago. But the isolation of "living like a hermit" pushed Danny to "breaking point", and his father was eventually offered a place in a Wrexham care home. Bernard settled in well and Danny was able to visit daily. But in recent weeks his father's condition has worsened, and after several incidents of aggression towards staff and residents, Danny agreed he needed to go into a mental health hospital. Danny said his father had become so aggressive he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, but was told the only suitable place available to care for him was a two hour and 40 minute drive away at St Andrew's Hospital in Northampton – a £40 trip Danny can only afford to make once or twice a week. He said: "It's appalling – not a single bed in north Wales, or the whole of Wales? "It's not going to help me, it's not helping dad, it's not going to help the staff who look after him to settle him. It's not right. "The time I've got left with my dad is precious. I don't know how long we've got left, and that's why I need him somewhere close to home, so I can spend time with him – what time he's got left. "It's just the fear of him passing away in there and being so far from home." Danny said it was upsetting seeing his dad so "badly confused" as he does not know where he is, staying in a "strange hospital". Danny said he felt "powerless" and racked with "guilt". "I just want to be there for dad," he said. "He needs love, he needs support. And having my dad placed in Northampton, it's just having a huge impact on me. It's just so upsetting that we can't do better in this day and age." Danny said he completely understood his father had become a risk to himself and others, and needed to be moved to a more specialised environment. But he fears other families could have loved ones being cared for hours away, and said funding for more suitable beds and treatment closer to home was urgently needed. "We've got an ageing population. Unless the funding keeps pace with demand, then the system is going to collapse." He said people deserved "more respect than that" when they age and become ill with dementia. Charity Carers Wales said Danny's situation was "quite a common occurrence". Rob Simkins, head of policy and public affairs, added: "I just think it's a really sorry state of affairs that in 2025, in one of the richest countries in the world, people are having to travel two-and-a-half hours to go and look after the people they provide care for, or go and visit them. "I think we can do better than that in Wales." Mr Simkins said it painted a picture where there was not enough infrastructure close to people and their families, putting "additional stresses and strains on carers trying to help and support the people they provide care for". "We need to get it sorted, and quickly," he added. Teresa Owen, an executive director at Betsi Cadwaldr health board, said: "I am extremely sorry for the situation Mr Mendoza and his son find themselves in. "Unfortunately, we work in an extremely pressured system and sometimes we do not have the capacity to admit to our own facilities in complex cases like these. "Sadly, there was no-one available to us to provide the type of care Mr Mendoza needed closer to his home, at the time he needed help. "We are focused on him receiving the best care and bringing him back home as quickly as possible." The health board's mental health and learning disability team's east division has four patients at St Andrew's. The number of patients has decreased in the past year, but there is "still more work to do," she added. "You can be assured this is a priority for us, as we want people to be closer to their homes and their families." The Welsh government said it provided £12.7m a year to support implementing its dementia action plan. It added: "Our mental health and wellbeing strategy aims to ensure when people need support, care or treatment, they will be able to access a range of services seamlessly and delivered as close to home as possible."
