EDP: Norfolk and Suffolk’s troubled mental health trust is not improving quickly enough

Nicholas Carding of the EDP reports:

The region’s underfire mental health trust is not improving as quickly as hoped, according to a health watchdog’s leader for mental health.

A letter seen by the EDP and Evening News, says the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are expecting to see “more progress at a quicker pace” from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).

The comments are made by Dr Paul Lelliott, the CQC’s deputy chief inspector of hospitals (lead for mental health) about the trust which was put into special measures in February.

In his letter, sent to North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, Dr Lelliott said: “Our impression is the trust has not improved as quickly as we would have liked.

“We have engaged with Monitor (the Government’s health regulator) and the trust in discussions about the pace of change and how we would expect to see more progress at a quicker pace.”

Emma Corlett said: “Absolutely nothing has been done to address the fact that the trust is massively under-resourced.”

A spokesman for Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk said: “If the CQC indicates that the NHS bureaucracy is finally developing a sense of urgency about the crisis in mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk, we welcome it.

“This crisis has gone on for far too long.”

NSFT cannot cut a further £36m from its budget, on top of previous cuts of £44m, and improve services condemned last year by the CQC as Inadequate. NSFT’s Board, NHS England, Monitor, the CCGs, the CQC, the Department of Health and the Care Minister, Alistair Burt, all need to take full responsibility for the rapid delivery of adequate funding and improved services rather than hiding or blaming each other.

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