30 August 2006
“Trust decisions must not condemn the mentally ill and elderly” says Clifton-Brown.
On the eve of the of Gloucestershire Partnership Trust’s public Board Meeting, which will decide the future of mental health, day care and adult services throughout Gloucestershire, Cotswolds MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown today said:
“Tomorrow is a crucial day for everyone who cares about mental health and elderly services in Gloucestershire. After a long consultation the Board will finally make their decision. I have many deep reservations on the outcome of this process. I hope the Trust will consider all the representations that have been made to them throughout this period – particularly from the users of these services – their families and carers.
If the Trust sticks with their original proposals, there will be a massive gap between the Trusts’ closures, including cuts to mental health, day care services and if Social Services can fill the gap. Despite the consultation, I am not satisfied that substantive discussions have taken place between the Trust and Social Services. No details have been provided by the Trust to outline where the funding will come from should this be the outcome – the County Council have already indicated that they do not have any more resources.
I am really concerned that despite the fact that I have raised this issue repeatedly, the County Council Social Services and NHS Chief Executives have still not put in place a costed plan to deal with the proposed NHS Changes for Gloucestershire. If this is not done, people will suffer.
I ask the Trust crucial questions as they announce their plans: Who will provide which services? Where will the funding come from? In the absence of discussions, the Partnership Trust closures and the closure and cuts to local community hospitals will undoubtedly mean that the elderly and mentally ill will suffer, at home, in silence.
I hope the Trust will consider the huge impact on these patients, many of whom are too vulnerable to fight their own corner, and the strain this will put on local hospitals and the voluntary sector. I also hope they have considered the potentially fatal effects of these decisions.
If cuts are the final result of the Trusts’ consultation; while they may be not as visible as the closure of a hospital ward, or indeed a hospital, they will be just as damaging.
I have always believed that the mark of a civilised society is how it treats its older people. I ask everyone who reads this to judge how the changes measure up to this belief.”
On the eve of the of Gloucestershire Partnership Trust’s public Board Meeting, which will decide the future of mental health, day care and adult services throughout Gloucestershire, Cotswolds MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown today said:
“Tomorrow is a crucial day for everyone who cares about mental health and elderly services in Gloucestershire. After a long consultation the Board will finally make their decision. I have many deep reservations on the outcome of this process. I hope the Trust will consider all the representations that have been made to them throughout this period – particularly from the users of these services – their families and carers.
If the Trust sticks with their original proposals, there will be a massive gap between the Trusts’ closures, including cuts to mental health, day care services and if Social Services can fill the gap. Despite the consultation, I am not satisfied that substantive discussions have taken place between the Trust and Social Services. No details have been provided by the Trust to outline where the funding will come from should this be the outcome – the County Council have already indicated that they do not have any more resources.
I am really concerned that despite the fact that I have raised this issue repeatedly, the County Council Social Services and NHS Chief Executives have still not put in place a costed plan to deal with the proposed NHS Changes for Gloucestershire. If this is not done, people will suffer.
I ask the Trust crucial questions as they announce their plans: Who will provide which services? Where will the funding come from? In the absence of discussions, the Partnership Trust closures and the closure and cuts to local community hospitals will undoubtedly mean that the elderly and mentally ill will suffer, at home, in silence.
I hope the Trust will consider the huge impact on these patients, many of whom are too vulnerable to fight their own corner, and the strain this will put on local hospitals and the voluntary sector. I also hope they have considered the potentially fatal effects of these decisions.
If cuts are the final result of the Trusts’ consultation; while they may be not as visible as the closure of a hospital ward, or indeed a hospital, they will be just as damaging.
I have always believed that the mark of a civilised society is how it treats its older people. I ask everyone who reads this to judge how the changes measure up to this belief.”
