EDP: Heartbroken family say Norfolk teenager received poor mental health care

More high quality reporting from David Powles into the treatment, or lack of treatment, of Kieran Fulcher on the front page of the EDP. Why does the press have to do the job of our politicians and NHS bureaucracy, just as it had to at Mid Staffs? The upper echelons of the NHS behave as […]

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NSFT – A Warning from History: “Assertive Outreach was simply airbrushed out”

NSFT claims to the EDP: Has the trust taken on board the concerns about the scrapping of the Assertive Outreach Team? If so what has been done? “Following the integration of the assertive outreach function into our adult community teams we constantly review how best we can support those who have severe and enduring mental

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Video: Mustard TV: ‘It constantly feels like chaos’ – Damning staff report reveals extent of problems in our mental health trust

A damning report’s highlighted the challenges facing NHS staff looking after some of Norfolk’s most vulnerable patients. Unmanageable workloads, intolerable pressure and insufficient resources are just some of the issues raised in interviews with staff at the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust. They argue a 40 million pound savings programme has decimated the service –

Video: Mustard TV: ‘It constantly feels like chaos’ – Damning staff report reveals extent of problems in our mental health trust Read More »

EDP: Mental health trust boss admits staff report should have been handled differently

Nicholas Carding of the EDP reports: A governor of the mental health trust has said the publication of the Alexander report should have been handled more openly and honestly. The report, written by Marie Alexander, acting clinical education lead for the trust, was written in 2014 following surveys of staff. Sue Whitaker, who is also

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EDP: In depth: Extracts from the report into mental staff and their views on changes

We’ve been called liars, trolls and mental health extremists. We say we simply told the truth and fought for decent mental health services. Read the story from inside NSFT and make up your own mind. How was this allowed to happen? Why haven’t the CCGs funded mental health properly? How were all the warnings ignored?

EDP: In depth: Extracts from the report into mental staff and their views on changes Read More »

EDP: Revealed: Damning contents of staff report into problems within Norfolk and Suffolk’s mental health trust

Campaign supporters should buy the EDP today. We need to support high-quality investigative journalism which has played a key role in holding Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) to account, as it did at Mid Staffs, in the absence of any meaningful response to the crisis in mental health services from the Department of

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Kept in the Dark: EDP: Mental health trust rejects efforts to reveal damning report

The EDP reports: The region’s ailing mental health trust has refused to release a highly-critical report containing the views of some of its staff, claiming that doing so would stop workers from raising issues in future. Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust was placed in special measures in February and is also under investigation by

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EDP: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust’s use of controversial out of area beds rockets by 87%

Mental health patients in Norfolk and Suffolk are increasingly being sent to beds across the country – despite pledges to reduce the practice. Sending patients out of area has cost the trust £530,000 so far this year. Out-of-area placements saw an increase in bed days from 381 in April to 713 in May – a

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EDP: Mental health trust spent record amount on agency staff

A mental health trust which is aiming to make savings of £8.9million spent a record high of £2.4m on temporary staff last month, it has emerged. Following the investigation by Monitor, which was launched in November, Norfolk and Suffolk agreed to try and make savings of £8.9m in this financial year. There is no overall

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Fiscal Fantasy Island: NSFT spends record £2.42 million on temporary staff as out of area bed days nearly double

Having wasted £17.25 million of taxpayers’ money getting rid of staff it needed, Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) spent nearly £2.5 million on temporary staff in May alone. This is a new record, even for NSFT. 68 per cent of this expenditure was on expensive agency staff and the reliance on temporary staff

Fiscal Fantasy Island: NSFT spends record £2.42 million on temporary staff as out of area bed days nearly double Read More »

Monitor: ‘failure of corporate governance arrangements and financial management standards’ at NSFT

ENFORCEMENT UNDERTAKINGS LICENSEE: Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (the Licensee) Trust Headquarters Hellesdon Hospital Drayton High Road Norwich Norfolk NR6 5BE   DECISION On the basis of the grounds set out below, and having regard to its Enforcement Guidance, Monitor has decided to accept from the Licensee the enforcement undertakings specified below pursuant to its

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Kept in the Dark: NSFT blocks our appeal against refusal to release the Alexander Report

Yet again, the Chair of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), Gary Page, demonstrates that NSFT is incapable of genuine transparency, as he tries to hide the devastating impact of its calamitous radical redesign and refuses our appeal for the Alexander Report to be published. Of course, we haven’t received any response to the

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BBC News: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust sees 41% rise in serious incidents

Nic Rigby of the BBC reports: A mental health trust has seen a 41% rise in the number of serious incidents (SIs) – which can include unexpected deaths, injuries or security issues – over three years, new figures show. A Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust report says the number of SIs rose from 161 in

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BBC News: Mental health crisis care ‘inadequate’

Nick Triggle of the BBC reports: People who need urgent mental health care in England are receiving inadequate support, regulators say. The Care Quality Commission reviewed the help given to people in mental health crisis, which includes people who are suicidal, having serious panic attacks or psychotic episodes. The regulator said the system was “struggling

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Video: BBC News Exclusive Investigation – ‘Firefighting to keep patients alive’

‘Unprecedented failings’: ‘Firefighting to Keep Patients Alive’ An exclusive investigation of the crisis in mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk on the national News at Six and Ten on BBC1 and the BBC News channel. Isn’t it shameful that the Board of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), led by a Chief Executive

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In NSFT’s words: Not the Six O’Clock News

From: NSFT Communications Subject: BBC broadcast on Trust being placed into special measures Dear colleagues, The BBC has just informed the Trust that the report, outlined below, will not be broadcast tonight but on another day this week, yet to be decided. I will keep you updated on their revised schedule. Michael Scott Chief Executive Here’s

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In NSFT’s words: BBC Six O’Clock News tonight on ‘redundancies, improvement programme, staff shortages, our financial position, and the disbanding of the Assertive Outreach Team’

From: NSFT Communications Subject: BBC broadcast on Trust being placed into special measures Dear colleagues, The BBC One 6 O’Clock News is scheduled to be broadcasting a story this evening (Tuesday, 2 June) about our Trust being placed into ‘special measures’ by the regulator, Monitor, following the inspection of our services by the Care Quality Commission

In NSFT’s words: BBC Six O’Clock News tonight on ‘redundancies, improvement programme, staff shortages, our financial position, and the disbanding of the Assertive Outreach Team’ Read More »

BBC News: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health funding plan prompts dispute

Nic Rigby of the BBC reports: Cash for future mental health provision in Norfolk and Suffolk has “fallen short” of what is needed, prompting a dispute with an NHS trust and a funder. Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust said funding offered by central Norfolk clinical commissioning groups (CCG) does not meet the “volume of demand”.

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BBC News: Protest over ‘gagging’ questions

Nic Rigby of the BBC reports: Campaigners with taped up mouths held a protest against restrictions on their rights to ask questions to the board of the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust The trust had allowed members of the public to ask questions at any point during the meeting, but now is only allowing questions

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Lobby against Gagging: NSFT Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday 28th May 2015, 0830, The King’s Centre, 63-75 King Street, Norwich NR1 1PH

It is vital that we keep up the pressure on the NSFT Board to secure proper funding and deliver real improvements for mental healthcare, especially now that NSFT refuses to meet us and is trying to whitewash the impact of the radical redesign. Board meetings are the only opportunity available to ask questions and hold

Lobby against Gagging: NSFT Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday 28th May 2015, 0830, The King’s Centre, 63-75 King Street, Norwich NR1 1PH Read More »

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