Mental health trust boss vows to tackle out-of-area placements
Professor Jonathan Warren, new chief executive of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. Picture: NSFT - Credit: Archant
The boss of the region's mental health trust says he can 'only imagine' the distress of patients placed in out-of-area beds, as he pledged to cut occupancy rates.
Stuart Richardson Chief Operating Officer at Norwich and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) Photo:NSFT - Credit: Archant
The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has faced criticism over the scandal for years, which has seen scores of patients shipped across the country for treatment.
And chief executive Jonathan Warren has described ending the practice as a "top priority", and said the trust has been working "relentlessly" to bring the number of placements down.
The crisis reached a peak in April this year, with 75 patients sent out of county for treatment.
But that figure has plummeted, with 12 patients now being treated in out-of-area beds - a rise of three since the trust's annual general meeting earlier this month.
Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk published a graph showing out of area transportation bed days at NSFT from NHS Digital from April 2016 to August 2019. Picture: Campagin to Save Mental Health Service N&S - Credit: Archant
REAF MORE: 'It is distressing' - Mental health patients still being sent for out of county care
Speaking at a meeting of the county council's health and wellbeing board on Wednesday, October 30, Mr Warren said ending the practice was a top priority for the health service.
"I just want to talk a little bit about so-called inappropriate out-of-area placements," he said.
"I can only imagine how it must feel for someone to be so distressed to have to use one of our beds, and then for us to have to transfer them out of the county.
Most Read
- 1 Historic US airfield museum volunteers awarded highest Queen’s honour
- 2 Roadworks to be aware of in Norfolk this week
- 3 Overturned lorry causes heavy traffic on A140
- 4 See inside £1.5m north Suffolk farmhouse surrounded by a moat
- 5 Heatwave to return this week - but how hot is Norfolk going to be?
- 6 'Risk of injury' - Aldi recalls product due to safety fears
- 7 Golden anniversary couple's romance began after roles at friends' wedding
- 8 Health warning issued as temperatures to hit 34C in Norfolk this week
- 9 Earn a share of £16,000 giveaway for the charity that matters to you!
- 10 Met Office to build 80ft 'golf ball' weather radar after winning appeal
"It's not something we want to do and we've worked relentlessly since I arrived to bring that down.
"It's one of the top priorities."
Patricia Hewitt, a former health minister, and chair of Norfolk's sustainability and transformation partnership (STP), said: "Two years ago, out-of-area placements were probably the thing that most symbolised and reflected that anger of a lot of service users and campaigners about what had gone wrong at the trust."
Out-of-area beds are associated with longer stays for patients and have cost the trust between £6-7m this year, Mr Warren said, as well as limiting control of patient care.
But he added: "Compared to the rest of the country last year we were the third worst exporter of patients in the country.
"We would now be significantly lower than that."
And speaking after the meeting, he added: "This is a clinically led process to ensure that beds are used as effectively as possible.
"We do have real support from our social services colleagues, our district council colleagues and the voluntary sector.
"We want to be at 85pc bed occupancy rates."
