A shadow minister has called for health secretary Jeremy Hunt to ‘urgently’ intervene over the crisis facing Manchester’s mental health services. Andrew Gwynne was speaking after the M.E.N. revealed £1.5m in frontline services are to be axed after the city’s mental health trust declared itself ‘no longer viable’.
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Support for people suffering conditions including chronic fatigue, depression and sexual problems could be withdrawn.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.”
The chief inspector of hospitals has told Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust that it must do better following a watchdog inspection.
Overall the trust has been rated as requiring improvement by the Care Quality Commission.
A report highlights safety issues, the need for better leadership, and low morale among staff.
