BBC News: Monitor to launch inquiry into Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

10 Comments / Bed Crisis, CQC Inspection, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board / By

NHS regulator Monitor is to launch an inquiry into the mental health trust for Norfolk and Suffolk after concerns were raised over its finances. Monitor said it would look into whether Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) had breached the terms of its licence over its £1.72m deficit. The inquiry follows a Care Quality […]

BBC News: Monitor to launch inquiry into Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Read More »

Ashcroft: A vital mental health service in Norfolk is due to close as a result of insufficient funding

114 Comments / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis / By

Julian Support has issued the following powerful press release: “Ashcroft is a CQC registered Residential Care Service for women in the village of Wicklewood, near the market town of Wymondham in Norfolk. It was established in 1986 to support women with severe and enduring mental health needs. Julian Support has been providing the service since

Ashcroft: A vital mental health service in Norfolk is due to close as a result of insufficient funding Read More »

BBC News: Norfolk budget cut threatens women’s mental health unit

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, Dangerous, Section 75 / By

“The county council would not accept a weekly rate of £650 per person at the centre and said it would only pay £593. Ashcroft Centre trustees said staff numbers would have to be cut to unsafe levels if this rate was accepted. Ben Curran, head of operations at Julian Support which runs the Ashcroft Centre,

BBC News: Norfolk budget cut threatens women’s mental health unit Read More »

Meltdown: Working as a community nurse at NSFT

4 Comments / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board, Recruitment Crisis, Section 75 / By

“I work as a Community Mental Health Nurse for Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) and each week at work becomes more unbearable for so many reasons. Caseloads are unmanageably high with constant pressure from managers to take more cases that are being referred in on a daily basis. There is pressure to take

Meltdown: Working as a community nurse at NSFT Read More »

10-bed Assessment Unit fiasco: Can it get worse?

4 Comments / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, In NSFT's words, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board / By

Several supporters have been in touch. They tell us that while Nic Rigby’s report of the rejection of the opening of the 10-bed Assessment Unit is accurate, it is quite conservative in the conclusions it draws. We have also been sent by several sources the relevant sections of the Investment Committee (IC) report submitted by

10-bed Assessment Unit fiasco: Can it get worse? Read More »

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

113 Comments / Bed Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, Questions for the Board / By

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

BBC News: Norfolk and Suffolk health: Warning over ward plan Read More »

Video: BBC Look East – Number of people in beds beyond Norfolk & Suffolk rises to 50!

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board / By

When we started our campaign one year ago, we never thought the beds and community crises would become worse. But they have! We’ve won some victories but imagine how much worse things would be without our campaign! Join us at our Anniversary Open Meeting on Thursday 27th November to fight for decent mental health services. As

Video: BBC Look East – Number of people in beds beyond Norfolk & Suffolk rises to 50! Read More »

BBC News: Mental health in Norfolk and Suffolk ‘£30m underfunded’

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board / By

On Saturday the BBC revealed the trust had 50 patients in beds outside the counties, due to a lack of funding and a shortage of beds. The Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk has said the trust’s programme to make £40m of cuts by 2018 has had a “devastating impact on

BBC News: Mental health in Norfolk and Suffolk ‘£30m underfunded’ Read More »

Bury Free Press: NICOLA MILLER: Cuts to service are disproportionate

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, Campaigning, Community Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT Cuts, PR Crisis, Press, Questions for the Board, Recruitment Crisis / By

“The suicide rate of patients known to the services has risen – a truly appalling and sadly reliable indicator that the existing system is inadequate. It is not the fault of front line staff who are afraid in many cases to speak out. I have spoken to staff so unwell from stress that they themselves

Bury Free Press: NICOLA MILLER: Cuts to service are disproportionate Read More »

BBC News: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health patients in beds miles from home

62 Comments / Bed Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board / By

Up to 50 mental health patients in Norfolk and Suffolk had to be sent to other parts of England last week because of a shortage of beds and a shortfall in funding. In June Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt criticised the “unacceptable” distances Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) patients had to travel for beds. The

BBC News: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health patients in beds miles from home Read More »

Mirror: Kids with mental illness ‘betrayed’: Suicidal children turned away as unacceptable cuts slammed

26 Comments / Bed Crisis, CAMHS Crisis, Community Crisis, Dangerous, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board / By

Thousands of mentally unwell children are being failed because of “serious and deeply ingrained problems” in the provision of care, MPs warn today. In a damning 117-page report, the Health Select Committee lays bare the alarming failings in children’s mental health services. Its report warns how “in many areas early intervention services are being cut

Mirror: Kids with mental illness ‘betrayed’: Suicidal children turned away as unacceptable cuts slammed Read More »

Financial Crisis: NSFT Financial Performance for the period ending September 2014

2 Comments / Bed Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board, Recruitment Crisis, Section 75 / By

This gallery contains the financial performance Powerpoint presentation made to the Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) Board of Directors meeting on 23 October 2014: We analysed NSFT’s business plans and privately told NSFT many weeks ago that we believed that Monitor would be in by Christmas. Sadly, it looks as though we were

Financial Crisis: NSFT Financial Performance for the period ending September 2014 Read More »

Ipswich Star: Students from University Campus Suffolk celebrate their successes at their graduation ceremonies

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, CAMHS Crisis, Campaigning, Community Crisis, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, Financial crisis, NSFT - A Warning from History, NSFT Cuts / By

“Maggie Wheeler was also awarded an honorary degree for her work in mental health. She was chairman of what became Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust for a decade.” Many campaign supporters have contacted us to express their utter bewilderment at the decision of University Campus Suffolk to award Maggie Wheeler an honorary degree for

Ipswich Star: Students from University Campus Suffolk celebrate their successes at their graduation ceremonies Read More »

The Guardian: Inmate suicide figures expose human toll of prison crisis

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous / By

This important story details the human cost of the failure to provide proper care in the prison system for those with mental health issues and is a must-read in its own right. However, as a campaign, we have been hearing from Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) staff about ill people being locked in

The Guardian: Inmate suicide figures expose human toll of prison crisis Read More »

Campaign response to HealthEast decision to close beds at Carlton Court

3 Comments / Bed Crisis, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, HealthEast Consultation, NSFT Cuts, s136 Crisis / By

Here is our response to Andy Evans, Chief Executive of Great Yarmouth & Waveney CCG (HealthEast), following the disastrous decision to close beds at Carlton Court: Mr Andy Evans Great Yarmouth & Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group Beccles House 1 Common Lane North Beccles, Suffolk NR34 9BN 1 October 2014 Dear Mr. Evans, Following your disastrous

Campaign response to HealthEast decision to close beds at Carlton Court Read More »

Healthwatch Norfolk: Is it any use?

Leave a Comment / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, CQC Inspection, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board, Recruitment Crisis, Section 75 / By

We have resisted criticising Healthwatch Norfolk, in large part out of respect for its Chairman, who was an outstanding Norfolk Coroner who never hesitated to hold Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) to public account. But, enough is enough. Today, Healthwatch Norfolk had a stall at the Forum in Norwich, with expensively-branded pencils, rubbers,

Healthwatch Norfolk: Is it any use? Read More »

In the cells: Breach of human rights so common that Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies have a standard complaint letter

3 Comments / Bed Crisis, Community Crisis, CQC Inspection, Crisis Team Crisis, Dangerous, NSFT Cuts, Questions for the Board, s136 Crisis / By

It is happening again this weekend. No beds. No accountability. No responsibility. Norman Lamb claims to be a champion of the mentally ill with his self-promotional but resourceless gimmicks such as sponsored bike rides, the Cashless Concordat and ‘parity of esteem‘. The truth is that mental health services have been cut in real terms while

In the cells: Breach of human rights so common that Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies have a standard complaint letter Read More »

Scroll to Top