The Millhill

This study reports on discharged patients' experiences of care at a therapeutic community - The Millhill. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire and interviews. The focus of the study is on the former patients' own experiences of The Millhill and their present state. The majority report positive changes when they compare how they feel today with how they felt just prior to admission and just after discharge. Eighty-five percent claim that the major problem which led them to seek treatment is less serious today than it was when they were admitted to The Millhill. Compared with other inpatient care, the interviews showed that treatment at The Millhill was based on long-term individual treatment plans and that those undergoing treatment were treated as "individuals", whereas treatment in the psychiatric wards was more like "storage" and medication and those undergoing treatment were treated as "patients".