Hospital beds crisis

Published: 17 February, 2011

• CAMDEN and Islington Mental Health Trust is consulting on changing hospital services. 

The first question is: Do you agree that across Camden and Islington we should reduce the number of mental health hospital beds? They are referring to the closure of 95 beds, a third of the current beds. This is a preposterous question. They have already closed 28 at St Luke’s and an entire ward has no beds in it at the Highgate Mental Health Centre. Because vast numbers of staff are due to be made redundant no new staff are being appointed. So these vulnerable patients are being nursed by large numbers of agency staff, many of whom might be unfamiliar to them.

Further, a new system of bed allocation has been developed. Patients are now admitted into “assessment”’ wards – wards full of patients who are at the worst end of their breakdowns, and who can have a frightening impact on other patients. Because there is now a serious bed crisis, it is really difficult to move out of the ward – patients can be there for 15 days or more.

As cuts bite, mental health needs are going to increase even further. So, more mental health beds are required not less. More trained staff are needed on the wards not less. More resources are needed. Please join our campaign at the Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition and at Islington Hands off our Public Services (www.ihoops.org.uk).

SHIRLEY FRANKLIN
Chair, Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition www.dwhc.org.uk