Thursday 27 Th October 2016
MANCHESTER USERS’ NETWORK held a meeting at Harpurhey Wellbeing Centre (HWC), on Church Lane, Harpurhey, Manchester. HWC is a very important community based, purpose built building bringing together a community that needs this sort of building to help those within the community who’s needs will always need to be met. Many who use this centre are elderly and have often been dealing with mental health issues for many years.
All of a sudden without any consultation or explanation long term patients diagnosed with severe and enduring mental health illness are being Stepped Down, (Discharged).
Stepped Down, is a new term used by healthcare staff who have been and are being pressurised from high to discharge long term suffering mental health patient’s:
It is quite disturbing to see that Manchester patient’s whose mental health care is soon to be taken over by Salford based Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust are being stepped down ahead of a merger that will see the end of Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust. Members of staff have informed the MUN Reporter that instructions have been given out by management to look for as many patients as possible to step down ahead of the merger in January, 2017.
One member of staff who did not wish for their name to appear said, “Patient’s being stepped down will find there is no facilities actively operating to keep them well and should they become unwell, as is often the case with those suffering from a ‘Severe and enduring’ illness then in time they will find it very hard to be stepped back up”