This article from Nuwan Dissanayaka needs to be read by everybody with an interest in mental health. Dr. Dissanayaka is really worth following on Twitter. We’re delighted Nuwan’s views are getting wider attention in the national press. Dr. Dissanayaka is the consultant psychiatrist in the Assertive Outreach team in Leeds. Of course, assertive outreach at […]
What does the joint Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) SEND inspection published today say about the provision of mental health services for children and young people in Suffolk by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT)? The teams delivering health provision are not seen to be sufficiently responsive to children and young people with
BBC News reports: A “missed opportunity” for potentially life-saving treatment contributed to the death of a man from constipation complications, an inquest has found. Richard Handley, 33, who had Down’s syndrome, died at Ipswich Hospital on 17 November 2012. Some 10kg (22lb) of faeces was removed from his body two days before. Coroner Dr Peter
BBC News: Richard Handley: ‘Gross failures’ in constipation death Read More »
Andrew Hirst of the East Anglian Daily Times reports: Families have had to “fight every step of the way” to get help for the children with the greatest needs in Suffolk. Waiting times for mental health services are said to have started to reduce demonstrating “necessary progress in an area that still requires significant further
Many mental health services for children and young people (CAMHS) and for people with learning disabilities in Suffolk are provided by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT). NSFT is the dominant provider of mental health services in Suffolk. NSFT has repeatedly claimed all is well in Suffolk and that the only problems are in
Andrew Hirst of the EDP reports: The Stepping Forward survey results presented in Ipswich at the Suffolk User Forum event was intended to show how far the NSFT had improved in the view of its service users after being placed in special measures earlier this year. Although the trust has agreed measures to improve since
Andrew Hirst of the East Anglian Daily Times reports: Campaigners in Suffolk have labelled the county’s spend on preventing mental health problems as “shameful” and have issued an appeal for greater investment. The call has come after new figures from the charity Mind revealed local authorities in England spent an average of just 1% of
EADT: Campaigners attack ‘shameful’ mental health spend in Suffolk Read More »
Tom Potter of Archant reports: Health chiefs have promised to learn lessons from a review into the deaths of two vulnerable adults which exposed a catalogue of failures surrounding their care. An overhaul of support for adults with learning disabilities has been called for following the deaths of a 33-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman
EDP: Deaths of two vulnerable adults in Suffolk expose failings in care Read More »
Even The Sun is now printing articles about the problems accessing mental health services for children and young people in Suffolk. Bella Battle reports: Chloe, from Ipswich, Suffolk, said: “Does my own daughter have to put me in hospital before someone will act?” In a desperate attempt to help, Macey’s school contacted social services recommending
The Sun: Daughter-from-hell Macey, 9, terrifies mum… Read More »
We will be lobbying the Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) Board of Governors meeting tomorrow. Meet at 1230 on the City Hall steps. Some of us will also be attending the meeting which runs from 1300-1700 in the Council Chamber. Please join us. Despite mountains of paperwork, detailed terms of reference and long meetings,
At last, after a year of campaigning, Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has finally acknowledged that the ‘so-called bed crisis’ is a real bed crisis and that beds can be opened as well as closed. Thank you, Michael Scott, Chief Executive of NSFT for starting to listen to us! “[Michael Scott] told members
EDP: New chief’s pledge to open new mental health beds in Norwich Read More »
A spokesman for the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Suffolk and Norfolk said: “The campaign is very concerned about the loss of the 136 suite which provides a vital place of safety for people who are some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. “With regards to the reduction in mental health
BBC Norfolk and Suffolk mental health bed cuts criticised Read More »
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
Fourteen months ago, when Unison sent the letter below, the Board of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) wasn’t campaigning for fairer funding for mental health. As recently as December 2013, the current NSFT Chair, Mr. Page, was claiming that it wasn’t appropriate for the NSFT Board to question mental health funding as this
This is an example of how the Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) Board, NSFT governors, Norfolk and Suffolk clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and local MP and responsible minister, Norman Lamb, were warned of the largely predictable consequences of the ‘radical redesign’. Those who questioned whether the Operations Director’s ‘improvements’ would work safely were
Suffolk County Council Health Scrutiny Committee is taking place on Wednesday 22 January at Suffolk County Council at 10 a.m. Health Service issues will be discussed, including the crisis in Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT). We are holding a silent protest outside Endeavour House from 9.15 a.m. to around 9.45 a.m. Thanks to Jane Basham
