An Untimely Death on Passchendaele Ward – for iPod/iPhone

Everyone has their own perspective on mental health, especially those who have experienced it. ‘An untimely death on Passchendaele Ward’ is written and performed by members ‘The Orphans of Beulah’ – a theatre group consisting of mental health service users and survivors. It is a modern day farce focusing on life in a Mental Health Institution. A death on the the ward leads to a lot of questions being asked. There are nurses self-medicating, patients acting as nurses, commissioners turning a blind eye. Who turns out on top, and what actually did happen that fateful night on Passchendaele Ward? In two of the audio tracks, service users, professionals and practitioners comment on the drama an some of the issues it raises. In the remaining audio tracks, Jonathan Leach of The Open University’s School of Health and Social Welfare explains why the drama was commissioned, and how it fits in with the aims of the course. He also gives an overview of the course and who it’s aimed at, and talks about how he came to be involved in mental health education. This material forms part of K225, Diverse perspectives on mental health.