Author's Note Although this book is based on the author's experiences as a psychiatric nurse, it is a fictional account. The characters and situations which appear in the work are synthesised from a large number of observations made during a twelve year clinical career. The author makes no attempt to factually report the actions of any particular person (living or dead), or to factually represent the structure and processes of any particular mental health unit. Similarity is therefore co-incidental. The author acknowledges that the challenging assertions made in this book are based on his personal views and subjective experience, rather than the objective truth. He recognises that the background events which inspired this novel, as well as the fictional world created, may not be typical of mental health units around the U.K. He also acknowledges the serious nature of mental disorder itself, and accepts that satire may be considered a strange form of analysis. But for those who have worked through the tragedies and comedies of a psychiatric setting, the choice may be easier to understand. They will have learnt that people often overlook significant issues until they are uncomfortably amplified. Above all, the author asserts his right to express an honest opinion on matters of public interest.