Mental health patients turned away after beds removed

Surbiton.com: October 23, 2013 - 5:00am

Mental health patients turned away after beds removed by South West London and St George's NHS Mental Health Trust.

Mental health patients are being turned away from hospital after South West London and St George's NHS Mental Health Trust (SWLSTG) removed more than 150 beds in the past two years.

Data revealed in a joint investigation by Community Care magazine and BBC News found the trust, which operates from nearly 100 locations has removed 177 beds from 18 wards and closed five. Figures released by 28 mental health trusts around the country show they are running at an average of more than 100 per cent capacity, well above the recommended 85 per cent level.

SWLSTG failed to answer a Freedom of Information request on occupancy levels, but admitted they have closed 177 beds in the past two years. An annual report stated the trust had just 430 beds to deal with the 2,500 inpatients admitted in 2012/13. Seacole ward, in the trust's head quarters Springfield Hospital, Tooting, was one of the worst affected wards with 22 beds removed in 2011. The adult acute ward, which treats young adults aged up to 23-years-old, now only has eight beds with money being pumped into home treatment instead. Petersham Lodge, located in Barnes Hospital, Worple Way, Barnes, also had 22 beds closed from 2011 to 2012.

The drugs and alcohol service in Springfield Hospital was decommissioned in 2012 losing 13 beds, as well as rehab centres Burntwood Villas, Earlsfield, and Southbank House, Surbiton. Secure ward Ellis (Gaskell) closed in 2012, while learning disabilities service The Jasmine's Centre, in Tolworth, closed this year and lost 11 beds Other reasons for removals include new wards built with less beds to make room for better quality facilities, fewer patients being admitted and moving services to other wards.

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/10755042.Mental_health_patients_turned_away_af...

SurreyComet.co.uk

Comments

Post new comment

By posting content on Surbiton.com, you agree to adhere to the following guidelines.

Your username and password must only be used by you, keep them safe. If a posting is made using your username and password it will be considered to have been posted by you. If you have a friend who wants to use our site and post messages on the site, show them how to register.
Be courteous at all times, inciting racial hatred, posting abusive, obscene, threatening, harassing, defamatory, libellous or sexually explicit material or any material that is found to be offensive is not acceptable and we may suspend your username and password.
Retaliating to offensive posts causes more problems for other users on the discussion boards. Just report such messages to us using the Feedback link which is available at the top of every page or the 'report this' link associated with individual postings. We will act on every report we receive.
Please respect other people's work and do not post material that infringes copyright.
Do not post information that you know to be confidential or sensitive or otherwise in breach of the law. You should only post material that you know to be public knowledge. If you have any doubts do not post it on the site.
Never attempt to gain unauthorised access to any area of the site. This is known as hacking and is illegal.
Content posted represents the opinions of the author, and does not represent the opinions of Surbiton.com or its affiliates and has not been approved or issued by Surbiton.com. You should be aware that the other participants are strangers to you and may make statements which may be misleading, deceptive or wrong.
Spoofing or posing as another user is unacceptable. Anonymous users' postings should always be considered with suspicion.
Help keep Surbiton.com a safe place for information and opinion. Please alert us of any anti-social behaviour as described above.