Click the images below to listen on iPlayer to the two morning shows featuring the crisis in mental health services at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT):
BBC Radio Norfolk: NSFT crisis in mental health services dominates morning schedule Read More »
A campaign member on the coast tells us: “The alternative-to-admission arrangements for Laurel and Larkspur wards at Carlton Court have broken down. The residential home at Hopton has apparently lost three managers. Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has withdrawn the arrangement to have six beds with only two patients left awaiting removal .
Carlton Court: NSFT’s much-vaunted alternative-to-admission arrangements break down Read More »
Yesterday, a few of the truths told by this campaign emerged at the NSFT Board meeting in Norwich, as reported in the EDP: “Mental health chiefs have insisted they have a plan to tackle high caseloads after it emerged that almost 400 patients in Norfolk were waiting to be assigned to a community worker… This
EDP: Concern over pressure on mental health staff in Norfolk because of high caseloads Read More »
Today’s EDP reports on how Norfolk mental health patients have had to endure up to eight hour waits for ambulances. What this reported eight hours doesn’t include is the time waiting from an assessment by overburdened crisis teams or the often even longer waits while attempts are made to find an out-of-area bed in a
EDP: 999 Mental Health Crisis Read More »
Whatever Mr. Page, the Chair of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), tries to claim in the EDP, the crisis in mental health services deepens, with: hundreds of people who use services without a care coordinator between twenty and thirty people in beds beyond Norfolk & Suffolk at any one time crisis teams overwhelmed
The Medical Director of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), the sole medical doctor and highest paid executive director of NSFT, is leaving the NSFT Board this summer. Dr Hadrian Ball is not retiring as a doctor or leaving NSFT, as he is going back to clinical practice until January 2015. How many more
38th Day of Lent: Going without the Medical Director Read More »
The centrepiece of the ‘radical redesign’, the Access & Assessment Team (AAT) consistently failed, month after month, to meet its performance targets for two out of every three assessments in 2013. Many people who were referred in January of this year are receiving phone calls now, in April, three months later. Access & Assessment delivers
37th Day of Lent: Going without fit for purpose Access & Assessment Read More »
Last week, there were 21 patients placed beyond Norfolk & Suffolk by Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT). That means as far away as Bradford, Weston-Super-Mare, Hastings, Dorking, or London. These are not ‘specialist placements’ but patients who could be treated on an open acute ward, such as Waveney Ward, Glaven Ward , or the now-closed Thurne Ward
36th Day of Lent: Going without enough beds Read More »
Campaigners raised their concerns after figures from a Freedom of Information (FoI) request revealed that the organisation had not hit its referral targets for the last five months of 2013. Figures showed that 65pc of emergency referrals received an assessment in four hours, only 17pc of urgent referral cases were contacted within 72 hours and
EDP: Concern over mental health referral service in Norfolk Read More »
This shocking story has been shared by ‘Ben’ (name has been changed). It sadly shows another failure caused by the inability of the post cuts, post ‘radical redesign’ Adult Mental Health Services of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) to consistently respond to people in crisis in a timely and appropriate way. However, this
33rd Day of Lent: Going without the NHS Read More »
Some staff were paid to leave Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) only last week. NSFT has wasted millions of pounds and put services at risk. What a scandal. Soon to qualify? Newly qualified? Experienced? Any level of experience… Staff Nurses and Mental Health Workers/Practitioners All jobs… Temporary or permanent… Band 5 and Band 6 Other bands
The Freedom of Information Department at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust writes: “Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act. I can confirm the following:- The Interim Finance Director is supplied to the Trust via the agency Green Park Interim and Executive Limited. Costs in relation to this role for
Luke writes: “A few weeks ago an 86 year old man needed admission. He was sectioned, and after FOUR hours of phone calls a bed was eventually found… in SCUNTHORPE. Yes, the nearest available bed to Norfolk and Suffolk was SCUNTHORPE. However, there was no ambulance service available to take him, private or public. So, his
29th Day of Lent: Going without beds for both husband and wife Read More »
Abraham writes: “We all know that spending £7.3 million on redundancies when there are 361 vacancies at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is an outrageous scandal which threatens the safe delivery of services to the vulnerable, as well as an extraordinary waste of money. Sometimes, it is whispered that the purpose of the
28th Day of Lent: Going without basic numeracy skills Read More »
Sebastian writes: “The Central Cluster CRHT have had to give up nine band six staff, those who are most experienced and qualified in the Team; they carry out the risk assessments and provide leadership to the Team. They have all been downgraded to Band five under a dubious process; four of them have been transferred
26th Day of Lent: Going without an ‘enhanced CRHT’ Read More »
http://norfolksuffolkmentalhealthcrisis.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/BBC-Radio-4-World-at-One-4-April-2014-Crisis-at-NSFT.mp3 Isn’t it incredible that NHS England couldn’t find anybody to talk on national radio about the crisis in mental health?
William writes: “Due to team members leaving & maternity cover, we’re being told to move patients to a ‘team-held pot’ rather with duty expected to pick them up rather than allocating a care co-ordinator. It is an unusual practice and who is accountable? As duty is covered by existing team members, it is still adding
25th Day of Lent: Going without an assigned care co-ordinator Read More »
“The least gender diverse body included in the whole survey was the Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, with all eight board members being men and none from a BAME background.” Based upon research published by the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality.
19th Day of Lent: Going without representative non-executives on NSFT Board Read More »
John writes: “Ashcroft is a female residential unit which provides support to people who, due to mental health difficulties, need periods of residential care. For many, regular planned respite for short periods forms a key part of their care plan. This respite enables them to build their resilience, access therapies and talk to familiar staff
18th Day of Lent: Going without respite beds, going with fake extra capacity Read More »
A spokesman for the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk said: “Today, members of the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk tried to engage Norman Lamb about the crises in mental health provision. Rather than talk to campaigners, he simply put his head down sheepishly and sought
Gallery: Demonstration against Norman Lamb’s ‘cashless concordat’ Read More »
