Mental health beds are being relocated, after vote this morning
Controversial plans to relocate mental health beds from Wells to Yeovil were today approved by NHS bosses in Somerset after a two-and-a-half year process.
The Governing Body of Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group say the 'proposal was developed to provide best care in the safest possible way by providing acute beds for mental health inpatients on two sites instead of three'.
James Rimmer, Chief Executive at Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group said: “This proposal will help us make sure that all adults across Somerset have access to safe, high quality acute mental health care when they need it.
“Our wards in Wells and Yeovil are ‘stand-alone’ which means there are no other wards close by and so no other staff to support in an emergency when a patient is experiencing a medical or mental health crisis. At times, patients on acute mental health wards will need acute medical support as well as mental health support.
“By relocating the beds from Wells to Yeovil we can co-locate the two wards to provide support to staff on either ward in the event of an emergency, extend medical cover to 24/7 and ensure that our wards are close to an Emergency Department in case of a physical health need. ”
The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group approved the following proposals:
The mental health inpatient unit for adults of a working age at St Andrews Ward in Wells should be relocated to Yeovil where it will be operated alongside the existing Yeovil unit in refurbished and fit for purpose modern facilities which can be used flexibly to create male and female ward space preserving privacy and dignity.
A service user and carer reference group should be put in place to support the implementation of the proposal, and particularly to review how the potential negative impacts of increased travel time can be mitigated.
Maria Heard, Programme Director for Fit for My Future and Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body member said: “We are very grateful to everyone who gave their time and expertise over the last two and a half years as this proposal was developed and refined.
"From patients who use the services to clinical experts and local organisations together we have co-created a new model of mental health care for Somerset which offers a full range of support from prevention and maintaining wellbeing through to crisis and inpatient care.
“We know that in Wells and the surrounding area there were strong feelings about the proposal to relocate the fourteen adult mental health in-patient beds from Wells to Yeovil and some people will be disappointed by today’s decision. However this proposal was approved to help us provide safer care to people who need this level of mental health support across the whole of Somerset."