We have written extensively about Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s (NSFT) botched redundancy programme which has wasted many millions of pounds and introduced unnecessary and unacceptable risks into the delivery of vital services. Now, exactly what we warned would happen is happening. This is the job advertisement for a band six Community Psychiatric Nurse […]
We had a meeting recently with Norman Lamb, North Norfolk MP and Government Care Minister, and asked him why mental health is about to be cut by 20% more than other NHS services. He told us that, although the Health Minister had issued a mandate about ‘parity of esteem’ (what a stupid term), the directors
Furious but helpless: Is the NHS under democratic control? 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
Below, you’ll find the old Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment Team (CRHT) referral form and the current one. How many differences can you spot? Of course, the big difference between the old and the current form is the additional box entitled ‘CRHT Triage Contact within four hours of
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 »
John Lister is a respected journalist, academic and director of Health Emergency. In his monthly column in the Morning Star, John looks at on the Meltdown in mental health services and focuses on Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) in particular. It is an excellent article, even if you wouldn’t normally read the Morning
John Lister: Meltdown in Mental Health 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 warnings below are from an email sent more than sixteen months ago by a carer to Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT). The email containing these quotations was sent on 22nd November 2012. This email provides evidence that the Operations Director of NSFT knew and admitted that demand for beds was rising as long ago
32nd Day of Lent: Going without listening to warnings Read More »
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 »
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 »
Mental health services across the country are in crisis. The cuts have decimated many services in Suffolk and Norfolk. Mental health services have been traditionally underfunded, with mental ill health representing 23% of health need, yet receiving only 11% of NHS funding. The 20% cut to all NHS trusts has therefore hit mental health hardest,
Walk for Mental Health: Join us on 1st and 2nd April! Read More »
Elizabeth writes: “I live with my parents and younger brother in rural Norfolk. During the summer last year, my older brother, who is under the care of the Youth Team came back to live with us, following problems with his land-lady. During early December, we had to call the police out, and then, in mid-December,
22nd Day of Lent: Going without… family life and school 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 »
