BBC News: Norfolk and Suffolk health: Warning over ward plan

A mental health trust does not have funds to reopen a ward intended to ease a beds crisis, a report has warned. The Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) announced in September plans to reopen 10 beds at Hellesdon Hospital. A report to the trust in October said it should not reopen the ward because

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Invitation to our Anniversary Open Meeting on Thursday 27th November, 7.30-9.30 p.m. Vauxhall Centre, Norwich NR2 2SA

INVITATION TO OUR ANNIVERSARY OPEN MEETING ON THURSDAY 27TH NOVEMBER, 7.30-9.30 PM VAUXHALL CENTRE, NORWICH NR2 2SA Dear all, Our Campaign started a year ago this month when mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk first reached crisis point. The ‘Nicholson Challenge’ imposed £20 billion cost savings on all NHS Trusts. As a result, Norfolk &

Invitation to our Anniversary Open Meeting on Thursday 27th November, 7.30-9.30 p.m. Vauxhall Centre, Norwich NR2 2SA Read More »

Exclusive: The intimidating letter which caused uproar in the week before the CQC inspection and the ‘apology’ from NSFT

The modern matron sent the letter below, and email versions, to large numbers of staff at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) in the days immediately preceding the recent full CQC inspection, which began on 20th October 2014. Staff at NSFT, quite rightly, saw these letters as a blatant attempt both to intimidate by

Exclusive: The intimidating letter which caused uproar in the week before the CQC inspection and the ‘apology’ from NSFT Read More »

“It is not your job to lie on behalf of employers”: Unison writes to reassure NSFT staff members ahead of CQC Inspection

NHS staff at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) shouldn’t need reassurance before the regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), visits, should they? There are rumours of ill-advised messages, communications and even the threat of disciplinary proceedings by some NSFT managers in the run-up to the CQC inspection. Bullying and harassment of staff at

“It is not your job to lie on behalf of employers”: Unison writes to reassure NSFT staff members ahead of CQC Inspection Read More »

Audio: NSFT Deputy Director of Nursing tries to resolve ‘dire’ Waveney strike staffing crisis by ringing wrong person

Listen as the Deputy Director of Nursing at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), Michelle Allott, mistakenly rings a campaign supporter who left NSFT more than a year ago as she attempts to resolve a ‘dire’ crisis as ward and CRHT staff at Carlton Court wholeheartedly support the NHS strike:  

Audio: NSFT Deputy Director of Nursing tries to resolve ‘dire’ Waveney strike staffing crisis by ringing wrong person Read More »

Audio: We could all be ‘John’. Health worker tells BBC Radio Norfolk about the impact of the Trust Service Strategy (TSS) on his own health

We could all be ‘John’.  Listen to health professional ‘John’ telling BBC journalist Louise Priest about the impact of the Trust Service Strategy (TSS) on his own mental and physical health.  

Audio: We could all be ‘John’. Health worker tells BBC Radio Norfolk about the impact of the Trust Service Strategy (TSS) on his own health Read More »

BBC News: Assessment suite closures concern for mental health in Norfolk and Suffolk

Nic Rigby of the BBC reports: Concerns over plans to centralise Norfolk mental health assessment suites in Norwich have been raised by a police commissioner and a union. Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the suites, has started consulting staff on the proposal, the BBC understands. People are brought to the suites, often

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NSFT AGM 2014: Remuneration Report & (un)Fair Pay Disclosure in the NSFT Annual Report & Accounts 2013-14

Ever wondered why NSFT does so badly in the NHS Staff Survey? In 2011-12, the Fair Pay Ratio was 6.3, meaning the highest-paid director was earning 6.3 times the median salary. By 2013-14, the Fair Pay Ratio had risen to 8.0 which is 27% worse than three years before, while services and budgets have been

NSFT AGM 2014: Remuneration Report & (un)Fair Pay Disclosure in the NSFT Annual Report & Accounts 2013-14 Read More »

EDP: Concern over £16m temporary staffing bill for Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust

“Emma Corlett, NSFT Unison media spokesperson, who is also a mental health nurse in Norwich, said the cuts to local services had proved to be a “false economy.” She added that the trust continued to spend large sums of money on temporary staffing costs, which amounted to £2.39m in August and more than £8m for the

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BBC: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust funding concerns

Nic Rigby of the BBC reports: A mental health trust covering an area where care minister Norman Lamb is MP has warned it is struggling to provide a “safe and effective” service. Gary Page, chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said “fundamental” changes were needed. Mr Page told the BBC: “We welcome the

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BBC Radio Norfolk: Campaigners Emma Corlett and Terry Skyrme outline the crisis at NSFT and likely impact of Carlton Court closure. Duplicitous Norman Lamb pretends to be in opposition again

Listen below to Norman Lamb yet again pretend that he is in opposition rather than the Minister of State at the Department of Health directly responsible for mental health. Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), Norman Lamb’s own local mental health trust, is in constant crisis and heading towards financial collapse. Yet, unbelievably, Norman Lamb

BBC Radio Norfolk: Campaigners Emma Corlett and Terry Skyrme outline the crisis at NSFT and likely impact of Carlton Court closure. Duplicitous Norman Lamb pretends to be in opposition again Read More »

Audio: BBC Radio Norfolk told by carer: “The trust [NSFT] in general treat their staff like rubbish… they really do… it’s no wonder days are lost because they’re stressed”

A Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) carer, Catherine, rang BBC Radio Norfolk this morning and told journalist Louise Priest what she thinks about the way NSFT staff are treated. You can listen to the audio below. “Very good, very well qualified, very conscientious and hardworking people… well and truly overworked.” “Recently, we had

Audio: BBC Radio Norfolk told by carer: “The trust [NSFT] in general treat their staff like rubbish… they really do… it’s no wonder days are lost because they’re stressed” Read More »

EDP: Mental health trust under fire again after second man falls to his death at the Castle Mall

One of our key recommendations for ending the crisis in mental health services at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is the restoration of decent mental health services for the most vulnerable. The specialist assertive outreach teams which national guidance and evidence recommends have not just been cut but rather completely closed, leaving those

EDP: Mental health trust under fire again after second man falls to his death at the Castle Mall Read More »

Why the CQC selected NSFT for early inspection in its own words: Decision to schedule Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust for Inspection

We wrote to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) because Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has been claiming that the forthcoming CQC inspection is routine/random and that the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk was being inaccurate and misleading to write that NSFT had been selected as a priority for early

Why the CQC selected NSFT for early inspection in its own words: Decision to schedule Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust for Inspection Read More »

Audio: Campaigner Emma Corlett of Unison interviewed on BBC Radio Norfolk about massive cuts envisaged by NSFT’s 5 Year Strategic Plan

We have already written about the massive cuts envisaged by the 5 Year Plan submitted by Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) to its regulator, Monitor. At the NSFT Board meeting last week, one of the non-executive directors of NSFT acknowledged that the real-terms depth of the planned cuts is 7.5 per cent per

Audio: Campaigner Emma Corlett of Unison interviewed on BBC Radio Norfolk about massive cuts envisaged by NSFT’s 5 Year Strategic Plan Read More »

NSFT seeks to reduce out of area placements by refusing emergency admissions rather than by providing necessary beds

A member of the Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) crisis team writes: “NSFT seems determined to reduce the number of out of area placements but not by providing an adequate number of local beds. A senior NSFT manager is going around the country trying to discharge out of area patients. How can this

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BBC: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health patients in 200-mile bed trek

“Some mental health patients in Suffolk and Norfolk are having to travel more than 200 miles (321km) for a bed, it has emerged. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said the situation was “unacceptable”. Unison urged the government to develop a “rescue package” for mental health services, which they said left 22 patients facing the journey last

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EDP: ‘Unacceptable’ – health secretary Jeremy Hunt pledges action on out of area mental health placements in Norfolk and Suffolk

Adam Gretton of the Eastern Daily Press (EDP) reports: The government’s health minister pledged to “do what it takes” to address the pressure on mental health beds after being told of some Norfolk and Suffolk patients having to travel more than 200 miles for a bed. When told about the situation at NSFT, Mr Hunt

EDP: ‘Unacceptable’ – health secretary Jeremy Hunt pledges action on out of area mental health placements in Norfolk and Suffolk Read More »

Video: Crisis at NSFT is main story on BBC One Sunday Politics East

In depth interviews with Emma Corlett, Denise Day and Norman Lamb regarding the on-going mental health crisis at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) presented by Etholle George. Yet again, NSFT fails to put anybody forward to discuss the beds and community crises and Norman Lamb blames everybody else and claims to be powerless

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