A day-long public inquiry is to be held into the crisis facing Manchester’s mental health services – after we revealed the savage cuts facing frontline services.
Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust admits it is ‘no longer viable as an independent organisation’ after its finances passed the point of no return.
Cuts to Manchester’s mental health services will ’cause more deaths’, warned a local patient support group as they lobbied outside the Town Hall yesterday.
Manchester Users Network, a support system for patients accessing psychiatric services, lobbied ahead of a health scrutiny meeting that took place after a devastating £7million worth of cuts to its services.
It is reported that Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will be abolished, as its financial position has become untenable.
Plans to cut £1.5m from mental health services in Manchester have been debated by councillors.
Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust has planned the savings, which would affect 664 patients not considered to be at high risk.
Support for people suffering conditions including chronic fatigue, depression and sexual problems could be withdrawn.
Paul Reed, of the Manchester Users Network, said one reason occupational-type therapies are so important is that patients are continuously seen by staff while there.
He said he had never had such a response from patients over any issue.
Referring to Karen Reissmann, the MHSC nurse who was sacked four years ago after speaking out against cuts within the trust, he said: “She has been proved right.
“If this is approved, it is going to be terrible for people.”
MANCHESTER USERS NETWORK INFORMATION MEETING Wednesday 14th October 2015 Time, 1.30pm. Important Information, rights & news for patients!
As part of the discussion and for a later date to be proposed; that employees of the Trust and other employees or other mental health organisations, should have a “Conscience Clause” in their contract. The advantage therein, to diminish and expose unethical decisions, such as discharging ill patients, ill treatment, stepping down patients for financial reasons and diminishing the fear of sacking employees, because of whistle blowing etc.
Manchester User’s Network have long campaigned for the government creation of a dedicated minister for mental health . So last week we were tweeting Jeremy Corbyns to please create a minister for mental health as we desperately need one. Even if that’s just to sort out the terrible services, Service users are presently receiving in Manchester under a Manchester Labour Scrutiny Committee
Plans for a new £6m treatment and recovery centre in Manchester have been revealed.
The centre will be built on a 1.5 acre site in Ardwick and will be run by Alternative Futures Group (AFG).
It will open in Autumn 2016 and create 45 new jobs.
Specialist Manchester hospitals chosen under ‘Healthier Together’ plans
Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal, Royal Oldham and Stepping Hill have been unanimously chosen as the four ‘specialist’ hospitals in Greater Manchester as part of the ‘Healthier Together’ hospital reconfiguration.
The four locations were amongst 10 regional hospitals in the running to become ‘super hospitals’.
Mental health services spent millions of pounds sending patients hundreds of miles for beds last year as use of ‘out of area’ hospitals increased by almost a quarter, research by Community Care and BBC News has found.
A charity has accused Manchester City Council of lying about homeless figures, saying that they don’t paint a ‘true reflection’ of the situation in the city.
The Manchester Angels, who help to keep people safe in the city at night, believe that the council’s yearly audits strongly under-estimate the amount of those living rough in the city.
The charity was set up by Wesley Hall last year following the death of Stockport teenager Adam Pickup in 2013.
