Plus ca change...

Back at work after 2 weeks off. Lots of admin to catch up on, plus our organisation is so fast moving that I was right when I predicted 24-hour opening. It starts on Monday. The residents won't be allowed in their rooms all day, but activities will be on offer for those who want to take advantage of them. We've got football, walks, jobsearch, welfare benefits advice, arts and crafts....and I've offered to set up a weekly in-house newsletter, and show other staff how to do it. With a background in magazines, I've got lots of ideas.

The new manager started while I was off, really positive move. He's got bags of energy and ideas, and the right approach to people management. We're revising all our procedures and systems, and getting the manuals in place, too. As well as dealing with the day-to-day excitement created by 20 people with varying issues – and that's just the staff! Add 35 residents...

The partnership approach that we're all having to embrace has really come up trumps tackling the antisocial behaviour. It's proved an effective way to get moving, with the right senior people there to make things happen. A much-needed second wet unit for dependent drinkers will be opening soon, and the measures we've all put in place have squashed the worst excesses of shouting and bawling outside, litter (cans and dog poo), drinking groups, aggression and intimidation. It was probably just the first few days of fine weather encouraging the guys to sit outside with their mates and drink.

Lots of regulars still with us:
Mr Booze – who insists that other people are breaking into his room to urinate in his waste bin. Personally if I was going to break into anyone's room, it wouldn't be his.
Mr Personal Hygiene Problem – sees a psychiatrist every six months. The mental health services won't tell us anything about us without his consent. He thinks there's nothing wrong with him, so won't sign the consent. Stalemate.
Mr Just-A-Bit-Odd – we had to call the police to section him just before Christmas, as his weird behaviour was putting others at risk. He was taking the fuses out of plugs, and removing fire extinguishers, as well as saying odd things and wandering round without many clothes on. We'd been worried about him for ages, but the mental health services won't take anyone on board unless they are a danger to themselves or others. So – in a very unpleasant way – he was dragged off to a psychiatric ward. Because we can't refer him for assessment, only his GP can do it, our only options are through the police or A&E. So he's been there two months while they assess him. And they just discharged him back to the streets, because he didn't seem to have a diagnosable illness. In other words, he didn't tick their boxes. In their professional opinion, he's just a bit strange. Unquote. So what we've supposed to do with him if his strangeness gets serious again, I don't know. Mad is the only word for it. He's a lovely guy, that's the sadness.
Mr Complainer – he knows how to run hostels, and we're just useless. Any time he's refused what he wants, he complains at great length. I was a bit soft when I get back, and let him have a concession, but told him no more. So then when I refused him the next one, he gets all angry. Now he's going to put in a complaint against me to my chief exec. Again.

All part of the rich tapestry of life.