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Mental health patients in East Anglia “driven to Cheshire for treatment” (12 May 2014)

Date: 12/05/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Mental health patients in East Anglia “driven to Cheshire for treatment”

Health workers in East Anglia have declared an emergency in mental services, after it was revealed that some mental health patients are still being sent hundreds of miles out of the area covered by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) for treatment.

In November, local publisher the Eastern Daily Press (EDP24) reported on the crisis in mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk, with the local trust spending millions of pounds on sending mental health patients as far away as north London to access treatment in acute care and special placement units.

The Independent reports that seriously ill mental health patients are still being sent out of the area for acute care, with some patients being driven to Manchester for inpatient care at a mental health unit.

Mental health staff in East Anglia say they are considering industrial action because they work long hours trying to place acute care mental health patients – and are unable to leave work until they have been placed.

A member of staff is reported to have spent 22 hours with a mental health patient, who was eventually driven to a mental health unit in Cheshire for care.

NSFT is currently slashing 20% from its budget, along with other mental health trusts across the country, including Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The government’s Care Minister Norman Lamb is the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk – while the Conservative Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter is MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.

NSFT has cut 400 hundred jobs as part of its budget cuts, but in March the trust pledged to recruit more staff after admitting it had 505 staff vacancies. Managers at the trust said that they were “actively recruiting” for 361 staff positions – including recruiting mental health staff from overseas from countries such as Ireland and Portugal to fill the vacancies.

At the time, UNISON branch Secretary Carol Briggs expressed concern that the trust had let go more experienced and skilled staff, who would be replaced with less experienced nurses and doctors.

“We are concerned at the cost of recruiting staff externally – and question the timing, when there is no indication how many staff will be transferring back to Norfolk County Council as a result of the Section 75 agreement being revoked,” she said.

Section 75 of the National Health Service Act 2006 refers to arrangements between NHS bodies and Local Authorities to improve health services or improve delivery of healthcare services – including mental health services under the 2007 Mental Health Act.

The NSFT aims to save £40m, but staff now claim that the budget cuts are affecting care of mental health patients in the area.

Unison branch spokesperson and mental health nurse Emma Corlett said services were becoming so stretched that mental health patients who should receive an assessment by a GP within four hours were now being assessed over the phone because of a shortage of staff and resources.

Ms Corlett said mental health patients were, in effect, being telephoned and asked if they could keep themselves safe overnight.

“This is obviously unsatisfactory,” she said. “It's not clinical judgement that's driving that decision – it's the sheer volume of work."

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a specialist firm of mental health solicitors and can advise mental health patients on issues such as access to mental health services and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading firm of Legal Aid solicitors and in some cases may be able to advise the next of kin or carer of a mental health patient.

For expert help with mental health law contact the Duncan Lewis Mental health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1224.

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