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For all the training in the world, though—and we do have excellent training—we are running on all cylinders, all of the time. The mental health sector and the complex level of care required remains misunderstood, hidden away. We are making progress, and I love the NHS with every fiber of my being. When we're able to do the jobs entrusted to us, I think we give the best care in the world. We have a holistic approach in the UK, tailoring care to suit an individual's needs rather than a blanket approach for each specific illness, and it's incredibly strong. I'm also incredibly proud that, in a hospital in a poor part of the country, we care for so, so many who'd be left unchecked without the NHS.It's undoubtable that the NHS is a precarious structure right now. The foundations are shaking. But it's worth remembering that things were more fucked up in hospitals 50 years ago. They might have had more staff, but one person I know says he trained under someone who used to just stand in a mental health ward with a bottle of liquid medicine and brazenly dish it out, with little determination for individual cases whatsoever. Things have moved on dramatically. It's not about keeping everyone quiet or sedated. We work with patients now. We build rapport and therapeutic relationships.During my last batch of night shifts we had an emergency admission where the patient had to sleep in the lounge. It was the only option available. We become fire fighters in those incidents, making the best of it until the morning, when the cavalry arrives.
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