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Norfolk and Waveney mental health: Dissatisfaction with care

Mearl Brown Nyall BrownMearl Brown
Nyall Brown took his own life while under the care of NSFT

More than 80% of people are dissatisfied with mental health services for adults in Norfolk and Waveney, a report has found.

The survey, by the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP), said 40% did not know how to access services at all.

A patients group criticised the "inadequate" provision of mental health care in the area.

The STP said it was trying to create a better "whole system" approach.

The STP is made up of all the larger local NHS organisations.

'Bed capacity stretched'

Its report looked at care provided the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) - which is the main NHS mental health services provider for the two counties, Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust, Norfolk County Council social care and individual GP surgeries.

The report said primary care by GPs was "under pressure" with doctors having to deal with 18% more patients than the national average.

It said the NSFT, which is in "special measures" after repeated criticism from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards watchdog, has problems with recruitment of staff, while its "bed capacity was stretched".

The report said Norfolk County Council's social care services had a workforce which was "stretched and in places dissatisfied with the working environment".

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'Inadequate, poor and shocking'

Mearl Brown
Mearl Brown said his son Nyall was not given help when he needed it

Mearl Brown, from Cromer, Norfolk, sought help from the NSFT after his 19-year-old son Nyall first attempted to take his own life in January.

He said the care was disorganised and at one point the family were advised to seek private medical help for their son.

Nyall went on to take his own life in May.

Mr Brown described the family's dealings with the trust as "inadequate, poor and shocking".

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A spokesman for the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk, an independent patients' group, said: "The problem is not so much the current model of care but rather inadequate commissioning, funding, management and supervision of mental health care.

"Elsewhere in the country, properly run and financed services using a virtually identical model of care to that in Norfolk achieve outstanding ratings from CQC."

The STP report made six recommendations:

  • A focus more on prevention and wellbeing
  • A need for clear routes into and through services and make these transparent to all
  • Support for the the management of mental health issues in the primary care setting
  • The provision of appropriate support to those in crisis
  • Effective in-patient care for those that really need it
  • A system focused on working in an integrated way to care for patients

Melanie Craig, of the STP, and Frank Sims, chief officer of the NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups for North Norfolk and South Norfolk, said: "It will be important to take a 'whole system' approach to improving mental health and wellbeing, working with schools, police, the voluntary sector and other partners."

The report goes to the Norfolk & Waveney clinical commissioning groups' joint committee on Tuesday.