The tragic effects of cuts in our mental health services

Published: 26th May, 2011

• THE sad death of Peter Wood (New Journal, May 12) is another indicator that cuts in the mental-health services will produce more tragedies and disasters since they are clearly unable to cope at the moment.

No doubt the spokespeople for the council and the Camden and  Islington trust will claim that Mr Wood unfortunately fell through the net. 

The problem is that the current proposals will leave more and more holes in that net and there are likely to be more and more cases like this.  

The medical director of the Camden & Islington foundation trust, Sylvia Tang, has repeatedly said that the cuts are being made in accordance with clinical needs.

Had Mr Wood’s clinical needs been met then he might still be alive. How many more needless tragedies must occur before the trust and Camden social services think again about the real effects that the cut they are making will have?
Estelle Summers
Adelaide Road, NW3