Mental Health Advocates from Norfolk and Suffolk to Meet MPs

Advocates for mental health services from Norfolk and Suffolk are journeying to London for a meeting with Members of Parliament. Their objective is to voice worries regarding the local NHS mental health trust, which has faced difficulties. Specifically, The Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk is highlighting issues related to prevention of future death reports (PFDRs) that reference the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), the provider of mental health services in the area. Several prevention of future death reports (PFDRs) released by coroners during 2024 have expressed apprehension concerning the National Health Service’s management of particular situations. Cath Byford, who serves as the deputy chief executive officer at NSFT, stated: “We continue to work with service users, carers, families and campaign groups as we progress with our improvement journey and ambition to provide safer, kinder, better care.” Coroners compile PFDRs after an inquest when they determine that measures are necessary to safeguard lives or that valuable lessons must be assimilated. Mark Harrison, a campaigner, commented: “The issues we raise have so often been referred to by NSFT, MPs and those with power to contribute to change as ‘historic’. “Our research demonstrates these are present and ongoing and without an injection of funding and decisive, bold action, Norfolk and Suffolk will continue to lose individuals to completely unnecessary and preventable deaths, and families will lose loved ones.” The advocates are scheduled to be in Westminster on Monday, with aspirations of convening with Members of Parliament representing both counties and conveying their apprehensions to the Labour government. Ellen Woolnough, a 27-year-old from Ipswich, passed away in 2022 while receiving care from NSFT. She had experienced mental health challenges and had engaged with the trust’s crisis team. Dr. Darren Stewart, the coroner, indicated that NSFT had demonstrated “failings,” specifically noting that its crisis team had reclassified her case from an “emergency” status to an “urgent” one. Dr. Stewart clarified that NSFT’s protocol mandated endorsement from a second clinician prior to such a reclassification, a step that was not followed. Owen Gardner, 29 years old, died in 2023 after being struck by a car. In a prevention of future death report, coroner Nigel Parsley stated: “Owen had a limited short-term memory and a cognitive deficit, due to the previous traumatic brain injuries.” He added that “It was agreed his next-of-kin would be informed of all of the appointments Owen had with the NSFT clinicians.” Mr. Parsley noted that Owen’s family had been notified of certain meetings, but not every one, leading to Mr. Gardner missing several appointments because he had forgotten about alterations to their schedules. Christopher Sidle, a resident of North Walsham, Norfolk, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, passed away in July 2023. His death resulted from head injuries sustained when he exited a taxi moving at approximately 30mph. Following an inquest, Jacqueline Lake, the senior coroner for Norfolk, determined that chances to deliver suitable care had been overlooked. Nigel Hammond passed away at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on 14 March, three days subsequent to a fall at his residence in Suffolk. The coroner, in his prevention of future death report, indicated that a mental health support team could have provided assistance more promptly if they had not been required to obtain a referral from a general practitioner initially. Ms. Byford of the mental health trust stated: “We meet regularly with the campaign committee and our most recent meeting was in mid-October, with a further meeting arranged for January. “Campaign committee members are involved in our learning from deaths work, helping the trust to improve future patient care and services. “We continue to work closely with them and have found the feedback and insight they have given to our improvement work to help shape future services valuable.” For updates on Suffolk news, access BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.