Bedlam was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

mental health documentary filmed at

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, also known as SLaM, is an NHS foundation trust based in London, England, which specialises in mental health. It comprises four psychiatric hospitals (Bethlem Royal Hospital, Lambeth Hospital and t ...

(SLaM). The series offers unprecedented access to clinical services, patients and staff at the Trust.

Overview

The first episode of the four-part series Bedlam was broadcast on Thursday, 31 October 2013 at 9 pm on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

. The first programme, Anxiety, follow patients through the 18-bed Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit at

Bethlem Royal Hospital Bethlem Royal Hospital, also known as St Mary Bethlehem, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam, is a psychiatric hospital in London. Its famous history has inspired several horror books, films and TV series, most notably '' Bedlam'', a 1946 film with ...

. This national unit treats the most anxious people in the country - the top one per cent - and claims a success rate of three in four patients. Some are consumed by irrational fears they've caused a road accident in their sleep, harmed strangers or have intrusive thoughts. One of the four people featured in the documentary says that three of them relapsed within weeks of discharge. He accuses the documentary makers of deliberately misleading viewers by showing two patients apparently doing well, and not mentioning the other two, thus giving viewers the impression that they had all been cured. The second programme is called Crisis. Cameras are allowed in

Lambeth Hospital Lambeth Hospital is a mental health facility in Landor Road, South London. It was previously known as the "Landor Road hospital" and is now operated by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and is affiliated with King's College Lond ...

Triage ward for the first time. This is the Accident and Emergency of mental health - where patients are at their most unwell. This episode features Medical Director Dr Martin Baggaley who has spoken out about the pressure facing mental health services in England. The third programme, Psychosis, films a community mental health team.

provides support for more than 35,000 people with mental health problems. The final programme, Breakdown, focuses on older adults, including the inpatient ward for people over 65 with mental health problems at

Maudsley Hospital The Maudsley Hospital is a British psychiatric hospital in south London. The Maudsley is the largest mental health training institution in the UK. It is part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and works in partnership with the In ...

Name

The title ‘Bedlam’ was decided upon both by SLaM, Channel 4 and The Garden Productions. It is based on the fact that SLaM can trace its roots back to 1247 when the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem was established in the City of London. The priory, which became a refuge for the sick and infirm, was known as ‘Bedlam’ and was the earliest form of what is now Bethlem Royal Hospital. The title has generated concern and criticism from some mental health campaigners because of what is seen as the negative, stigmatising associations with the term ‘Bedlam’. In response, the Trust set out the process and thinking which led to the name being agreed.South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trus
What’s behind the name
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References

Sources

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External links

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Unreported BAFTA Scandal

Happiness List

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Bedlam on C4

Channel 4

The Garden Productions Ltd
{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Factual Series or Strand 2013 British television series debuts 2013 British television series endings 2010s British documentary television series Channel 4 original programming Channel 4 documentary series English-language television shows Mental health in the United Kingdom Television series by ITV Studios