tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post744870573237822832..comments2024-03-06T14:38:23.226-08:00Comments on And then she recovered.......: Rhodes FarmRuby Tuesdayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15078080281794429051noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-54055660717074853972024-03-06T14:38:23.226-08:002024-03-06T14:38:23.226-08:00I was there in the 90’s I still haven’t gotten ove...I was there in the 90’s I still haven’t gotten over the abuse I suffered and not just physically but mentally to I was adopted and just found out before being sent to Rhodes the nurses there told me my parents didn’t want me they wanted a normal daughter and I wasn’t normal ect Tracy was one of the nurses when I was there and I have to say she was one of the worst for abuse Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-31047113411314654002024-01-24T15:20:40.978-08:002024-01-24T15:20:40.978-08:00Hi Kelly, I think I remember you. Or I remember yo...Hi Kelly, I think I remember you. Or I remember your story. Did you come back some time in 2003/2004/2005? I had multiple admissions around that time. What they did to you was the most hideous, disgusting abuse. I am in trauma therapy myself for things that happened to me there. You are a courageous wonderful person and thank you for your bravery in sharing these words xx<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-87007741924900430932024-01-24T14:04:06.333-08:002024-01-24T14:04:06.333-08:00I am so glad to read of a comment by an ex nurse. ...I am so glad to read of a comment by an ex nurse. I was there from 2003-2007. Yes it physically saved my life but I left with PTSD, which developed into Complex PTSD. I described with complete honesty some things that happened there when I was 14 to my therapist and she called it 'inhumane, disgusting and disgraceful'. I tried to speak about my experiences on a Tonight with Trevor MacDonald programme, and Dee threatened to sue them if they didn't publish a second documentary changing my words.This experience, of publicly censoring me has had a very damaging impact and lost trust in my voice. The emotional abuse was normalised, and this has had bad impact in my future life such as being in an emotionally abusive marriage: I didn't know how to recognise abuse, I knew how to pacify a narcissist. It has left me with long term gut health problems: I had severe bouts of gastroinstritis when I was there but they didn't believe me and treated me with lorazepam and shouted at me to drink milkshakes that my body vomited up. It taught my body to sustain severe pain - the severe pain of having to eat 3500-4000 calories that left me with gas so bad it cleared a room - and to ignore sensations in my body and this had problems in my recurrent life. Dee payed for me to attend the nearby Mount School: I am exceedingly grateful for this as I believe finding an interest in A Levels helped me. Yet still, it does not excuse the abuse. A male psychiatrist was later struck off for marrying one of his former patients when she was 19 - it was always suspected that they were having some kind of affair whilst she was there. He said very inappropriate things towards me. Dee is a narcissist. Narcissists are very good at performative empathy. They can care, but when there is benefit to themselves: such as multiple media interviews and documentaries highlighting what she did from the generosity of her heart, and how she was a saviour of child anorexics. Who was this promotion for? Dee made herself into a celebrity. As one reviewer said, it is unethical to film extremely vulnerable patients. If you watch this documentary with Jackie and Simon, I am struck by how at one point Jackie is crying and says 'I don't want to gain any more weight'. Dee says 'do you think you're fat?' Jackie says 'no I think I'm just right'. Dee says 'that's how i know you're still anorexic because you think that you're fat'. Note Jackie had not said that she thought she was fat. Dee's response is textbook gaslighting. Dee says 'do you think I make people fat here'. Jackie says 'some people. I'm scared I'll be one of them'. There is no doubt that I was chubby when I left Rhodes. Please take care of yourself anyone reading this. I loved Dee for years and thought she saved my life, it has been very hard to come to terms with what really happened to me. My therapist described me as having Stockholm Syndrome.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-44213860248026332192022-09-21T10:38:27.156-07:002022-09-21T10:38:27.156-07:00Her behaviour in a lot of the documentaries was re...Her behaviour in a lot of the documentaries was really concerning and judgemental. I understand that for most being admitted they need to gain weight urgently, but when patients would say some things she would almost roll her eyes or make fun of them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-76440685397664646402021-05-20T23:35:44.970-07:002021-05-20T23:35:44.970-07:00If it was bad before, it's a lot worse now!
...If it was bad before, it's a lot worse now! <br /><br />Rhodes Farm became Rhodes Wood Hospital. In more recent years it was owned by Partnerships in Care who sold it to the Elysium Healthcare group in 2016. <br /><br />This is a private equity group who run it only for the money charging the NHS about £500K a year per patient and skimming off as much as they can for their offshore owners. <br /><br />After they took it over, CQC dropped the rating to an Inadequate in 2019. It's still inadequate but CQC are using Covid as the reason they can't go back in, re-inspect it and shut it down.<br /><br />In fact, the care there is so bad that several parents of current patients have gotten together to form a campaign against this hospital. <br /><br />The Parents Action Group have set up a website where you can read about the latest state of play and comment on your own experience. They've exposed some really damning stuff.<br /><br />Those of you who have experienced this horrible hospital in any way, shape or form, the parents of children currently suffering abuse there would appreciate you dropping into this site to leave your comments: rwhospital.co.uk<br /><br />Thank you.Campaign To Close Rhodes Wood Hospitalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06247547324896585215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-36144357716735573622021-03-25T02:08:10.246-07:002021-03-25T02:08:10.246-07:00I'm currently developing a documentary about E...I'm currently developing a documentary about ED provision. If you can spare the time I would really value the opportunity to discuss your experiences in a confidential research call. You can contact me for further information at info@indefinitefilms.co.uk. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-59300058892826896912021-03-12T08:30:50.427-08:002021-03-12T08:30:50.427-08:00I'm currently developing a documentary about E...I'm currently developing a documentary about ED provision. If you can spare the time I would really value the opportunity to discuss your experiences in a confidential research call. You can contact me for further information at info@indefinitefilms.co.uk. Best wishes, Catherine Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-79299454472701538222020-07-07T02:17:09.822-07:002020-07-07T02:17:09.822-07:00While they were filming a documentary in 1992 I wa...While they were filming a documentary in 1992 I was locked in a box room in a half-built extension with a camp bed, gastric tube and a bucket to be sick in (they over-fed me)...I was frantically writing on post-it notes and slipping these through the floorboards to the people below to help me...that was my room where I was kept the majority of the time. If I cried I would be threatened with a needle to put me to sleep as she knew I had a needle phobia. I was in there due to bad anxiety effecting my eating so Rhodes Farm was my worst nightmare at 12 years old. This place was hell on earth and I am still suffering the mental consequences 30 years later. There was nothing warm or loving about Dee, she was cold, stern and vicious. I still find it hard to even say the words Rhodes Farm or Dee Dawson after 2 years of trauma therapy!!Kelly WIlson (Edwards)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10056124135461159920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-72611587428605023852019-10-30T12:31:24.403-07:002019-10-30T12:31:24.403-07:00I'm so so sorry anon. This happened to me and ...I'm so so sorry anon. This happened to me and so many others I was there with, at least 4 of whom have since died. I was deeply affected in a negative way by my experiences there and my family, too. I still have nightmares 26yrs on (I was there 1994-95/6). I am still plagued by anorexia, but much better in many ways as I thankfully received some excellent treatment at a general psych ward later on in my life. I become distressed just hearing 'her' and a nurse called Kate' s name. I'm determined to recover fully. Hopefully one day I will have the courage and strength to talk or even report some of the abusive things I witnessed, experienced & heard about. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-44132656102132863402018-05-20T13:23:38.359-07:002018-05-20T13:23:38.359-07:00Dee Dawson has admitted that she ran Rhodes Farm f...Dee Dawson has admitted that she ran Rhodes Farm for the money. <br /><br />https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/i-hated-eating-around-the-anorexics-737999.html<br /><br />All private ED clinics are businesses, frankly. And very few actually treat EDs properly. They just use coersion to get patients eating and gaining weight, which obviously assists their physical health, but doesn't actually solve the problem, and that's reflected in the fact that the vast majority relapse immediately following release from this treatment.<br /><br />The fact is that they don't really know how to assist anorexia sufferers, and that's been true since anorexia was recognised as a mental illnessKilicohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00351867295250929972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-26312101204562915112017-05-18T02:17:36.467-07:002017-05-18T02:17:36.467-07:00I was a patient in the 90s. I'm now a mental h...I was a patient in the 90s. I'm now a mental health nurse and fully recovered. <br /><br />Prior to being admitted to Rhodes Farm I was on a children's ward in a general hospital. I lost more weight in there the staff had no training or understanding (through no fault of their own their model was suited to their patients needs) It wasn't the right place and I nearly died.<br /><br />Rhodes Farm at the time had renowned success rates. The clinic got me to a healthy weight after 13 weeks (gaining 1kg a week) I stayed longer because of the relapse risks and to continue psychological intervention. For me the most valuable part for my recovery was the intense psychotherapy. I had a good therapeutic relationship with the therapist and I actively engaged in sessions. It's unfair to say Rhodes Farm was just about re feeding. The relapse prevention plan was good. If a discharged patient went 2kg below their target weight they would be admitted for a weekend to get their weight back up. <br /><br />There were no doubt some issues with some of the practices eg ng force feeding with chocolate spread and cream and using feared foods as punishments. Dee used to say "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie" This of course is rubbish. One patient hid food in her underwear and was forced to eat it. <br /><br />I remember myself and a few friends squeezing through a window to have a cigarette on the roof. The staff knew that patients did this. The dopey night staff didn't look for us and called the police. The police found us asleep in bed. Prior to this we had waved to a member of staff coming onto shift from our bedroom. To save embarrassment they lied and said we were seen leaving the unit. They told our parents we had tried to run away! My mum always knew when I was lying and believed me but my dad believed the staff.<br /><br /> We knew we should be punished for smoking but we were put on supervison for a week and made to wear our pyjamas day and night!<br /><br /> These experiences have helped me in my practice as a nurse. They abused their positions and power. I lost respect and trust for these particular "professionals"<br /><br />Another terrible thing was making patients on supervision sleep in the classroom on rolled out thin mattresses with blood stains all over them. They had to change this because cqc ( wasn't cqc then) interviewed patients and I showed them the mattresses. Soon after a dormitory was made with proper beds.<br /><br />The clinic wasn't perfect but your never going to fully please patients with eating disorders that you are force feeding. The clinic was very homely and they did some fantastic activities in school holidays on a reward system. I didn't get to go on many because being below "my line" target weight was more important to me then than go karting. There was alot of prepacked food which I'm sure wouldn't happen now. It was all marks and Spencers though! Let's be realistic the nhs food now isn't great! <br /><br />To summarise I'd say that Rhodes Farm saved my life. The early intervention and therapy for sure gave me a good head start into adult hood. I'm glad I had the intervention as a child before transitioning I to adult services. I do think that with eating disorders the patient has to take some responsibility. You can have all the interventions in the world. It's only when the patient is ready for help that you can begin the road to recovery. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-86008581219940109192017-03-03T04:02:03.236-08:002017-03-03T04:02:03.236-08:00In my opinion Dee Dawson is one of the most danger...In my opinion Dee Dawson is one of the most dangerous people on the planet. I do hope she has stopped running this "clinic". She didn't cure anyone...she abused them survivorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08346260322897334603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-85196792759565609152016-07-19T07:54:13.285-07:002016-07-19T07:54:13.285-07:00I am really keen to talk to people about RF. I am ...I am really keen to talk to people about RF. I am a freelance journalist and documentary-maker - you can learn more about me here - www.onejen.net. Would you be happy to drop me a line at jenny@onejen.net, if you are happy to talk, confidentially? Thanks ever so much. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13618854842305211774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-21126686111663524612015-11-23T15:29:02.206-08:002015-11-23T15:29:02.206-08:00Were any of you's there in 1994? I'm tryin...Were any of you's there in 1994? I'm trying to find out how an<br />Old friend of mine is and I'm afraid really that it may not be good Future is brighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02889894505542248027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-53069679445303756672015-11-23T15:25:22.167-08:002015-11-23T15:25:22.167-08:00I seen this is a few years old, really wondering w...I seen this is a few years old, really wondering who wrote it, I was tree from 1994 till 95Future is brighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02889894505542248027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-10017631592687458512015-11-23T15:21:15.657-08:002015-11-23T15:21:15.657-08:00I was the same, punished fr not following her plan...I was the same, punished fr not following her plan, force fed rolled cheese sandwiches, left in a room until I chose to eat, tormented and double cream put Siena nasal tube! Unreal place, that fucked me up for many yearsFuture is brighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02889894505542248027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-37041041671709590982015-10-11T15:52:55.505-07:002015-10-11T15:52:55.505-07:00I agree with the comment above. It was terrible. I...I agree with the comment above. It was terrible. I have never recovered from it. I have friends a good 10 years on still in a sorry state or who have taken their own lives from the way we treated or the way food was presented to us. As much as I want to I can never forget.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-69494017963721782152015-08-09T09:48:15.173-07:002015-08-09T09:48:15.173-07:00I worked there as a nurse when Dee Dawson ran the ...I worked there as a nurse when Dee Dawson ran the place.It was abusive and breached every single good practice code going. She objected to therapy as it was expensive for RF to provide this albeit Health Trusts/PCTs were paying for it. So bad that half the staff and both the supervising Psychiatrists upped and left in one go to work at another clinic. She could get away with this as there was so little regulation and no NHS ED inpt units or clinics in area except Great Ormond St. So the mostly unregulated private sector could call all the shots. Parents were torn but desperate and who can blame them. But the reason for not allowing parents to visit went way beyond carrot and stick approach. It was about preventing children reporting abusive practice. If they did then obviously it was pathological - something everyone will recognise. There are ethical, safe, supportive and compassionate ways of saving someone's life and providing treatment. This was not an example of thatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-82799401372281615122015-01-10T14:37:03.259-08:002015-01-10T14:37:03.259-08:00please tell us how you find out about thisplease tell us how you find out about thisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-55777827892880407772014-10-01T08:26:00.531-07:002014-10-01T08:26:00.531-07:00Yes there have been deaths. A young girl there hun...Yes there have been deaths. A young girl there hung herself - a second or third suicide attempt I believe - but she was found dead there from hanging herself....I think in the bathroom or her bedroom or something like that. Article describes subsequent inquiry below:<br /><br />http://www.leighday.co.uk/News/2014/June-2014/Suicide-verdict-at-inquest-of-17-year-old-teenagerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-1204936941794560212014-09-12T06:49:07.521-07:002014-09-12T06:49:07.521-07:00I just came back across this and I am glad there a...I just came back across this and I am glad there are others that agree with me :)<br />Unfortunately, I am still not recovered and have just come back from my assessment at another hospital, due to be admitted in a couple of weeks. The psychiatrist specifically asked me about my experience at RF because it has been in the (ED world) press a lot at the moment.<br />Simon recently relapsed, but fought to get the inpatient care he so desperately needed, wanted and deserved and is back on the road to recovery and returning to uni :) xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-32255522999959233712014-07-25T17:47:28.831-07:002014-07-25T17:47:28.831-07:00I know that jackie is fine and engaged to be marri...I know that jackie is fine and engaged to be married and simon is fine and has children of his own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-55167984193729609382013-11-04T13:50:59.117-08:002013-11-04T13:50:59.117-08:00Hi I agree with annominas, I have seen so many bad...Hi I agree with annominas, I have seen so many bad thing. Go on in there and went through a lot myself. Dee had no idea about anything, she was a rude nasty person who would do anything to get goals. I was in there in 1994 and took forced my parents to get me out of there! Her whole family were twisted and everything will not be forgotten! I was NEVER anorexic, in fact I had a phobia of eating in public! I'd like to add that I also work in the care sector and wish to care for children suffering with eating disorders. It was only once I was in RD that I became anorexic! Everything they done was wrong! If I could go back I would make sure everyone new what happened in that hole! I to was a boy that was on gmtv, I too was forced to lie on camera Anne was told what to say, in fact I was physically hurt minutes before I was on air. I would love to hear more about others as I would like to know how many of us were truly hurt in more ways than one! I'm fine with my wait, never had any problem and self councled myself. No person can understand how an ed can affect you unless you have been there yourself. I know things will have changed since the 1990's but someone who has been through it and has beaten everything themselves far exceeds any doctor with no real understanding! whateveryouthinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02982401528470331975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-45761059627097474442013-10-19T18:48:48.218-07:002013-10-19T18:48:48.218-07:00Hi anonymous - came across this by chance - I agre...Hi anonymous - came across this by chance - I agree with the things you said. From the date you gave of being there, it is very likely we were there together, so all the things you describe bring back so many memories. Not all bad either. I was a long-termer, and as I gained weight I started to actually enjoy the company, and some of the things we did & saw !!! I didnt recoer after RF but hey it saved my life and did "something" not sure what but something Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562281218287648674.post-70388155487744262382013-09-12T20:23:39.786-07:002013-09-12T20:23:39.786-07:00Dee Dawson never proclaimed RF would fix people - ...Dee Dawson never proclaimed RF would fix people - she admitted herself she wanted RF to get people to a healthy weight so they could then focus on psychological issues outside of a unit at a healthy weight. People with ED's need to be a healthy weight before they can focus properly on psychological issues. No, RF didnt cure people but it saved them at a point when they were on deaths door which other units do not. No, the methods may not have been ideal but I, for one, would not be here today if I hadn't gone to RF and had the severe regime placed upon me. Dee helped to save many lives, she didnt do it for the money, she did it because she genuinly wanted to help young people get their lives back on track and by doing so sacrifised her own family life so I personally am extremely appreciative of Dee and RF. Dee no longer owns it or has anything to do with it as it is owned by Care UK and they have changed several aspects to the treatment programme.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com