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Tooting MP writes to mental health trust over plans to close south London hospital’s mental health services (6 August 2014)

Date: 06/08/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Tooting MP writes to mental health trust over plans to close south London hospital’s mental health services

The MP for Tooting in south London, Sadiq Khan, has written to the chief executive of a mental health trust about the closure of all mental health services at one hospital in the area.

Local publisher the Wandsworth Guardian reports that Mr Khan has written to the chief executive officer (CEO) of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG), David Bradley. The trust is planning to shut down all mental health services at Queen Mary’s Hospital.

The hospital treats 500 mental health patients every year – the trust is aiming to reduce inpatient mental health beds across southwest London by 10%, at a time when there are calls for improved access to mental health services, including more access to mental health services for young adults and children.

However, many mental health trusts are slashing budgets by as much as 20% – and as a result, mental health patients requiring acute care as an inpatient are increasingly being sent out of their area for inpatient care.

A review by SWLSTG means mental health services would be centralised at Springfield University Hospital in Tooting and Tolworth Hospital in Kingston

Mr Khan fears that patients local to Wandsworth who would be required to travel to Kingston to access mental health services may be unwilling to do so. The knock-on effect of this could be that more mental health patients miss appointments and reach crisis point, requiring admittance to A&E services.

Mr Khan said:

“Wandsworth residents make up half of all those admitted to Queen Mary’s Hospital – yet these proposals mean they may have to travel to Kingston to receive treatment, which I worry they may be unwilling to do.

“Mental health services are already at breaking point. You will be aware of recent warnings from the British Medical Association (BMA) that mental health patients were being put at risk by such cuts.”

New facilities are to be built at Springfield Hospital and Tolworth, to serve mental health patients from Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Richmond and Wandsworth.

Proposals include selling NHS land to fund the £160 million development at these sites. Maintaining mental health services at the three existing sites would require an investment of £140m, but running the services from three sites would costs the NHS an extra £42m in the long term.

Closing mental health wards at Queen Mary’s Hospital would save the trust more than £25m over fifty years, the review says.

The aim to reduce mental health beds by 10% from 2018 onwards means that more patients will be treated in the community – as well as in their own homes.

Mr Khan said, however, that closing beds at Queen Mary’s Hospital would prove more expensive by adding to the bill for treating mental health patients in A&E departments.

“Springfield does a great job of serving our community – yet mental health services are already at breaking point,” the MP said.

“Not only will this move cost more in the long run – due to more local residents reaching crisis point and been admitted to A&E, and some [being] unwilling to travel to Kingston – but it sends the wrong message about the lack of prioritisation of services for people with mental illness.”

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of specialist mental health services – and the largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services in the UK.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors can advise mental health patients free of charge on matters such as access to services – including acute care or special placements – and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit police stations and hospitals – and are able to make appointments across the UK at short notice to advise on mental health law.

For expert legal advice on mental health law and detention under the Mental Health Act, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.

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