Manchester mental health services in deep crisis

Reporting By: NSUN News

2 November 2011

Manchester Users Network leader and NSUN member, Alan Hartman warns of the deepening crisis in Mental Health Services that puts even more people at risk of suicide.

He states “the new round of £1.5m worth of cuts will hit more than 650 patients and a huge fear for service users is that services will not provide any therapeutic support but resort only to giving medications which can cause devastating side effects and can make people worse.”

The NSUN group member has been raising awareness speaking with the Manchester evening news, appearing on ITV Granada and writing to Luciana Berger, the Labour parties new Shadow Minister for Mental Health to see what action can be taken to prevent the crisis in mental health services getting any worse. This news comes ahead of the National Crisis Care Concordat 1 year review and follows the CQC’s 2015 State of Care Report which outlines Safety as the biggest concern of the services inspected with 31% of mental health services inspected requiring improvement and 3% rated as inadequate.

Reported in the Manchester Evening news Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell has written to the city’s clinical commissioners and said she would raise the crisis in parliament,

She added: “These cuts to early intervention mental health services are extremely concerning and will likely prove to be a false economy in the long run.”

Paul Reed,  Chair of the Manchester Users Network, explains that occupational-type therapies are so important as continuity of care is given and patients are continuously seen by staff while there.

Referring to Karen Reissmann, the MMH&SCT 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.”

Recently Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust admitted it was ‘no longer viable as an independent organisation’ after its finances passed the point of no return.

NHS bosses will meet next month to decide what will replace it.

Additional Reporting By Mun Reporter (Photographs By: Guardian Newspapers, Mun Publications, Lucy Powell,

  Alan Hartman Vice Chair Manchester Users Network, Karen Reissmann, Manchester City Council, Manchester City Council Health & Scrutiny Committee, Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust, Manchester Users’s Network, mental health, MUN, National Services Users Network, NSUN, Paul Reed Chair Manchester Users Network, Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP