I can't speak for all the large Asylums, but Shenley seemed a good place. It was a self contained community where they had a large hall with dances, bingo etc. I expect this was somewhere like you worked in Zoony?
My friend had a mental brakedown in the 1960's, she was there for months I would spend time with her, she was well looked after and felt safe and happy there.
These days some people with mental health problems are just left to cope alone, often very badly. Thus this guy going berserk and stabbing people, no surprise there.
The local Mental Health Team is very small, it has to serve the whole of a rather large county, anyone in crisis finds it hard to get more than an answer phone, I know this from personal experience trying to obtain help for family.
Mental health is in crisis, with the increase in people affected by Covid lockdown lack of support etc. even more so.