By: JAMES REED, POLITICAL EDITOR RISING DELAYS for mental health patients leaving hospital have been revealed by new figures. Analysis by NHS England showed 17,509 ‘bed days’ were lost as a result of mental health trusts being unable to discharge patients in October 2016, a 56 percent on the November 2015 figure. The figure […]
James Evison Increased funding for mental health services has not been provided across the country, and services are ‘under threat’, according to a new report by the King’s Fund. The health think-tank claims its analysis shows 40% of mental health trusts actually saw income fall in 2015/16 rather than grow, despite commitment from central government […]
Freedom of Information figures suggest a quarter of clinical commissioning groups are ignoring the target.
By Hugh Pym. Health editor Some mental health patients in England are being denied timely treatment promised by the government, figures reveal. The target, intensive treatment within two weeks, was introduced in April 2016 to give mental health the same referral priority as cancer. Freedom of Information figures suggest a quarter of clinical commissioning groups […]
The only certainty is that current reporting of deaths is confused and incomplete. The NHS places nearly half of all its young psychiatric patients in private psychiatric units and these are not subject to FoI requests.
BBC Panorama By Peter Marshall A charity for bereaved families is demanding the government investigates the way deaths of young people in mental health units are recorded. Research by Inquest suggests at least nine young people have died in England as in-patients since 2010. Health Minister Alistair Burt told BBC Panorama he didn’t know the […]
Inquiry call as new figures show a 26% rise in the number of mental health patients attempting or committing suicide
BY JASON BEATTIE More help needed: figures show rise in number of mental health deaths MPs have blamed government cuts for the “appalling and tragic” rise in the number of mental health deaths. New figures show unexpected deaths among mental health patients in NHS care have soared by more than a fifth over the […]
Mental health services, which are already struggling under the strain of demand, historically inadequate funding and incompetent commissioning decisions, will not achieve parity at least in my life time. And the problem might get even worse before it gets better.
OPINION BY DR KAILASH CHAND On almost every measure, the NHS in Greater Manchester is in a worse position than this time last year. And as we enter winter, this spells bad news. Last winter was the worst for a generation with A&E waits hitting their highest levels since targets were introduced in […]
Cuts to adult mental health services in England have started damaging the quality of care given to patients, a report suggests.
The review by the King’s Fund think tank found there was now “widespread evidence of poor quality care”.
Researchers linked this to the use of unproven, cheaper services in a bid to balance the books.
One mental health charity says “disappearing” services are putting lives at risk.
But the government said the amount of money being made available for mental health had been increased overall.
AROUND-the-clock mental health care will be provided at all accident and emergency departments within the next five years.
In the NHS mandate between the Government and NHS England, which sets out the ambitions for the health service, it states that access to crisis services for an individual must be “at all times as accessible, responsive and as high quality as other health emergency services”.
This includes ensuring the provision of adequate liaison psychiatry services in emergency departments.
Signed by the chancellor, George Osborne, and the leaders of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the latest twist in the Devo Manc agenda was the unique agreement that purported to grant residents “more control over the decisions that affect their lives”. Yet closer inspection suggests a more nuanced picture.
Mental health spending cuts forecast By Sophie Hutchinson Health correspondent From the section Health Mental health trusts in England are forecasting significant cuts to their funding over the next four years, figures seen by the BBC suggest. Data from three-quarters of trusts shows from 2014-15 to 2018-19 income is expected to fall by 8% in […]
