Due to budget cuts, the budget for activities has been reduced to around DKK 100 per month per patient. The cuts mean that it is virtually impossible to organize activities outside the hospital, says Lasse Poulsen, head nurse in ward A1 at Sankt Hans Hospital.

"These are activities that are important for the treatment of involuntarily admitted patients. This is a group of patients who suffer from severe schizophrenia, and part of their treatment involves engaging in activities that are normal for other people," he explains.

The donation from Sol og Strand will enable the rehabilitation activities to continue, which, according to Lasse Poulsen, are important in relation to patient treatment.

"They give us the opportunity to train social skills and thus prepare patients for life after admission to forensic psychiatry and prevent them from reoffending," he says.

The first activities have already been launched, including museum visits, bowling trips, and visits to Refshaleøen.

"We involve the patients, who are given the opportunity to express their wishes regarding the activities that should take place. We take each individual's situation into account, and we have patients who are able to go out as a group, while others need a trip where only staff members accompany them," explains Lasse Poulsen.

Over the past year, the department has succeeded in reducing the use of coercive treatment of patients to virtually zero, which Lasse Poulsen attributes in part to the rehabilitative activities.

"It helps to create a good community, and we see very satisfied patients who rarely end up in conflict with each other," he says.

There are currently 17 patients admitted to the closed forensic psychiatric ward A1 at Sankt Hans Hospital.