Former Bradford Mental Health Patient Returns to Hospital to Support Others
A young man who was hospitalised for mental health struggles is now working to support other patients at the same service to “help them through their darkest days” and to give them the best chance of recovery.
Euan Atkinson, is a former service user at Cygnet Hospital Wyke, on Huddersfield Road in Bradford, a 46-bed hospital which provides acute mental health support to men. From a young age, he struggled with his mental health and has been admitted into hospital twice, once in 2022 and again in 2023.
“Both times going in I had become engrossed in my own world, I couldn’t think rationally,” he explained.
“I was in a disconnected state where what I thought was happening and what was really happening were completely different. I was in a really volatile frame of mind and had a dangerous sense of self-confidence.”
Euan’s problems started in 2019 when his relationship broke down.
“I became very depressed and attempted suicide. My mum supported me and I was helped by an early intervention service. My community care wasn’t enough and I was admitted into hospital, though after five weeks I was discharged.”
Following a trip to Asia with his dad, Euan became paranoid and his mental health relapsed.
“I was admitted into Cygnet Hospital Wyke where I initially struggled to settle but the staff put the time and effort in to reassure me and build our rapport. This then gave me the comfort and confidence to grow and learn, helping me become the person I am today,” he said.
Euan said it was the unwavering support and dedication of the staff on the ward that allowed him to take control of the “turbulent journey of life and make better choices.”
He added: “Their guidance gave me the strength to maintain a healthy mindset and lifestyle. Without the people who cared for me and wanted the best for me, even when I didn’t know what that was, I would not be in the position I am today.”
He has now begun working for the Lived Experience Network as an Expert by Experience – someone who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses health, mental health and/or social care. He will be supporting people hospitalised due to their mental health at Cygnet Health Care services.
Euan will use his experience to talk with current service users and share their feedback with senior staff so that necessary changes can be made to ensure the service provides the best care to those who need it.
Explaining how he heard about the EbyE role, Euan said that whilst he was still a patient, he was given the opportunity to fill in an application form the role, though the timing wasn’t quite right.
“A year after discharge, I had just finished a course in Railway Engineering however because of my medication, I was not allowed to do safety critical work.
“I received an email asking if I was still interested and it came at just the right time, when I wasn’t sure what would be open to me. I was given training and then I had the green light to become an EbyE.
“Now I go to Cygnet Hospital Wyke once a week and I am really enjoying the role and feel I am making a difference already.”
Talking about the role, Euan added: “My main priority is making sure that the service users are comfortable in the service because we cannot be expected to grow and recover in unfavorable conditions. I want to enforce safeguarding, reduce restrictive practice and make the hospital as homely as possible.
“I have been involved with a couple of projects already to help achieve this. I have been part of the team putting together the social hubs, a homely environment away from the clinical atmosphere on the wards. These rooms have so many amazing facilities and it enables service users to have FIFA tournaments or movie nights as well as providing a welcoming fun space for group therapies or one to one sessions.
“I have also taken part in a safeguarding charter, working with the service users to understand what safeguarding means to them and how staff can best meet their needs. I then take that feedback back to the hospital managers to make sure things are the way they need to be to keep the service users safe, but to also give them the best chance for their recovery.
“In our daily battles to improve our positivity and diminish our troubles, it is the collective effort of everyone involved that makes a difference. From the cleaning lady’s cheerful “good morning” to the doctors “see you later” while on their way out, every action is aimed at aiding those who need it most. Service users are people who, through no fault of their own, require help to find balance and stability. I want to help them seize opportunities and create better lives for themselves.”
As part of his Expert by Experience role, Euan not only meets with service users from Cygnet Hospital Wyke, but also Cygnet Fountains, a 34-bed hospital for men in Blackburn.
Describing the impact he has as an EbyE, Euan said: “We know what it’s like to be in that position and more importantly we know what it takes to get better. With the common goal of finding and remaining in a healthy place mentally means we connect and relate to service users making it easier to support them in their recovery.
“I also think it’s hard to take advice and guidance from someone who doesn’t understand the culture and lifestyle around substance abuse as they cannot speak from experience of getting sober.
“In my short time as an EbyE, I have been told several times ‘it’s good that you’re here because you know what it’s like to go through the highs and the lows of drug induced illness’.
“That common experience goes a long way to helping someone through their darkest days, when they see that recovery is possible.”
In recognition of his journey, Cygnet invited Euan to officially open two of its new services earlier this year; Cygnet Hospital Wolverhampton and Cygnet Hospital Oldbury.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable to have gone from the place I was in to where I am now,” Euan said. “Eighteen months ago, I was still having irrational thoughts and was in a bad place.
“Now I have my head screwed on and I’m feeling better than I have done in a long while.
“Opening the new hospitals helped me to realise myself how far I had come in my own journey. I want to use my recovery to support people who are in the place I once was, that is why I am so passionate about the EbyE role and the difference it can make.”
In 2018, Cygnet became the first independent provider of healthcare services to invest in a full-time Expert by Experience Lead.
