Today, I had the opportunity to visit Broadmoor High-Security Hospital in Crowthorne (aerial photograph above). As part of a Conservative Party delegation that was led by Shadow Secretary for Justice, Dominic Grieve MP, I was able to get a very good insight into the valuable work undertaken by the hospital. Unfortunately, the national perception of the psychiatric establishment is far from the reality. People are sent to Broadmoor to receive healthcare not punishment. Often a patient has already served a sentence in a ‘normal’ prison and then has been passed on to Broadmoor for treatment. Hopefully in the future, the hospital’s good work in the treatment of mentally-unwell individuals who have committed horrific crimes will become more appreciated.
