Damning NHS report on mental health trust
by Rebecca Broxton
Target driven, bureaucratic and controlling – that’s how an organisation charged with caring for mental health patients across the region has been described. It follows a catalogue of killings committed by patients with serious mental health problems. Patients who were at the time under the care of Avon and Wiltshire mental health partnership.
A series of Independent inquiry’s found serious failings in care and treatment, and concluded that 3 deaths might have been prevented had better care been in place. Now an NHS report has slated the trust. The report also said the trust needed to listen more to patients, carers and their families. In response the trust said it accepted it had in the past failed patients. A New chair and Chief Executive are now in post. The trust has apologised unreservedly for its past performance and now has an action plan in place to address the issues raised. “I will make sure that the users and carers are at the centre of everything we do . We will involve them, at board now we have presentations from users and carers and front line clinicians at every board meeting. We moveour board meeting aroudn the region to make sure that we are listening to our localities. We are engaging with our clinicians and our general practioners better than we ever have before we are listening to our staff and as you mentioned earlier clinical engagement is key.”
– TONY GALLAGHER Chair, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
In response the trust said it accepted it had in the past failed patients. A New chair and Chief Executive are now in post. The trust has apologised unreservedly for its past performance and now has an action plan in place to address the issues raised.
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