35th Day of Lent: Going without an assessment for three months and then given an appointment more three hours away by public transport

‘S’ writes: “One of my neighbours lives in South Norfolk, in the Diss area. He has been under under-65 services for many years as he has suffered from the enduring mental health issue of depression. This ebbs and flows; this year he is very low in mood, he was discharged from the service because they felt […]

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John Lister: Meltdown in Mental Health

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

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EDP: Concern over mental health referral service in Norfolk

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

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33rd Day of Lent: Going without the NHS

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

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Unbelievable: After spending £7.3 million on redundancies, NSFT launches a massive recruitment drive

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

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32nd Day of Lent: Going without listening to warnings

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

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28th Day of Lent: Going without basic numeracy skills

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

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27th Day of Lent: Going without hope of genuine consultation and influence

Rachel writes: “Carers once believed that Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) listened to the views of people with mental health problems and their carers. Currently, people are unable to understand why NSFT’s Carer and Service User Councils bar attendance from people who use mental health services and their carers. This exclusive policy is

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26th Day of Lent: Going without an ‘enhanced CRHT’

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

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Audio: BBC Radio 4 World at One on the Mental Health Crisis at Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT)

  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?

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EDP: Mental health campaigners complete walk from Ipswich to Norwich

Campaign member Emma Corlett of Unison, who is also a Norfolk County Councillor and member champion for mental health, said they had received “unanimous support” from people during the two day walk. She added that they wanted to raise the profile of mental health cuts in Norfolk and Suffolk. “We met people who talked about

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25th Day of Lent: Going without an assigned care co-ordinator

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

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24th Day of Lent: Going without… carers being listened to

Rebecca writes: “Carers of children who develop mental illness cling onto hope – initially, hope for a complete cure. The shock of a child’s personality altered by incurable mental illness, with their future in jeopardy, takes years to understand. Gradually acceptance emerges with the constant hope that the cared for person attains insight into his

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23rd Day of Lent: Going without the support of our own MPs – Open Letter

Dear Norfolk & Suffolk Members of Parliament, We are a group of mental health staff, people who use services and members of the community who are deeply concerned about the impact of cuts forced on our mental health trust. Today we are walking side by side from the office of Ben Gummer MP in Ipswich

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Walk for Mental Health: Join us on 1st and 2nd April!

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,

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22nd Day of Lent: Going without… family life and school

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,

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