Laura is a 55-year-old who was admitted to St Peter’s Hospital due to a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease, associated with psychosis and depression.

Laura used to be a bookkeeper and is an avid lover of outdoor activities. Laura’s first contact with mental health services was in 2018, when she called the police claiming her mother and brother had been violent towards her.

She became aggressive towards the police and was subsequently assessed under the Mental Health Act. At the time she was not detained, and she received support in the community from the Intensive Support Team.

However, her mental state continued to deteriorate. Laura’s paranoid thoughts and challenging behaviours led to her living outside with her dog, as she believed she was being poisoned in her flat.

In 2019 Laura was detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, and was admitted to hospital. Her detention was extended under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act, and she moved to a care home for further care. After a number of years in this setting, Laura was admitted to a psychiatric hospital following an assault on another resident within her care home.

Laura was also diagnosed with Huntington’s disease at this time.

In 2022 she was transferred to a nursing home that specialised in supporting patients with a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease.

Unfortunately, after just 6 weeks, her behaviours became increasingly challenging. Laura was removed by the Police and was readmitted to hospital under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act, before being transferred to St Peter’s Hospital.

In addition to her paranoia and challenging behaviours, on arrival at St Peter’s Hospital Laura was:

• Not getting any exercise, and was barely able to walk due to the restricted environment she had been living in
• Refusing to eat or drink, due to the belief that people were trying to poison her

What did Laura and her commissoners want to achieve?

• A reduction in her challenging behaviours
• Improvements in her diet and mobility
• Improved independence
• A better quality of life for Laura

What did we do to achieve these goals?

Following her admission to St Peter’s Hospital, Laura underwent a comprehensive assessment conducted by our multidisciplinary team, which was lead by our Consultant Neuropsychiatrist.

• Her medication was reviewed and optimised
• She was put on 2:1 observations, and a consistent team of key workers were appointed to support her
• She attended regular sessions with our inhouse team of Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists

Particular attention was also given to creating an environment within the hospital for Laura that was tailored to her specific needs. Due to her paranoia Laura struggled to interact with others. Knowing Laura loved the outdoors, she was provided with her own dedicated space at the hospital which included a garden area, where she was able to withdraw and feel safe when she needed it.

What have the outcomes been for Laura?

Having her own room and personal space has made Laura feel safe and secure, and she know that she can voice her frustrations if she needs to, without fear of disturbing others.

With the support of consistent staff, Laura has been able to build positive and trusting relationships with her team. She enjoys spending time with them, particularly watching rugby and Harry Potter films together.

Laura has always taken pride in her appearance, and she is supported to visit the hairdresser in her local community regularly.

Laura goes shopping with the team and is now able to buy her own food, and she is no longer concerned that the staff who prepare her food are trying to poison her, which has contributed to her eating a more varied and nutritious diet.

With a more suitable environment that enables Laura to move around freely, her mobility has improved significantly.

She enjoys weekly dog walking sessions and pub outings with her team, and is enjoying being able to be outdoors again as often as she wishes.

In less than a year, Laura’s quality of life has improved significantly. She is both happier and healthier and can now see a way of positively living with her condition.