Trust seeks views on change to Lincolnshire’s mental health rehabilitation services
Published on: 16th January 2023
People who use mental health services, their carers and local residents are being asked their views on the future of a mental health rehabilitation ward in Grantham, following the pilot of a new community-based rehabilitation service.
The Trust have been piloting a new community rehabilitation service, which helps people in their own homes and communities and reduces unnecessary hospital admissions.
The Trust had to temporarily close one of its lower dependency mental health rehabilitation wards in Grantham, at Ashley House on Beacon Lane, due to staffing levels during the pandemic. During this time, the support from the community rehabilitation service, social care and the rehabilitation unit in Boston meant fewer people needed to access this type of hospital care originally provided by Ashley House, and not one person needed to travel outside of Lincolnshire for this type of support.
Following on-going engagement with service users, carers and stakeholders, the Trust also heard that people wanted more support to live well at home, rather than in hospital and additional support when discharged to avoid relapse and readmission.
The Trust and commissioners, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, have therefore been developing new proposals for how mental health rehabilitation services for those with a lower need could be delivered in the future.
Sarah Connery, Chief Executive at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said
“Like many NHS organisations up and down the country, we are working hard to transform services so that they are better for patients and deliver the right care, in the right within the resources available.
“The development of increased community support aligns with national, regional and county priorities to provide greater support direct to people’s own homes and communities and reduce the number of people unnecessarily admitted to hospital.
“We are therefore considering two options of how to best deliver this type of care in the future in an affordable and sustainable way and want to consult with our patients, carers and other stakeholders on which option to take forward.”
Chris Higgins, Director of Operations added:
“We have seen during the temporary closure of Ashley House, that with the introduction of community rehabilitation support there has been less need for this type of rehabilitation beds. The remaining unit in Boston has rarely been full and no one has had to travel outside of Lincolnshire to receive this type of rehabilitation care.
“With the closure of one of the county’s low dependency mental health rehabilitation units, the community rehabilitation service could significantly expand to cover the entire county, without any additional cost to the Lincolnshire health and care system, further reducing the need for people to receive care in hospital.
“Also, we know that Ashley House in Grantham can no longer offer the right environment to meet modern standards of mental health care and privacy and dignity for patients within a mixed gender ward. This is why we’ve proposed the closure of the Grantham unit, rather than that in Boston which can accommodate the needs of a mixed gender setting.”
A formal local consultation will now take place with patients, carers and our local community to seek people’s views on the proposal to expand Lincolnshire’s new community rehabilitation service, and the impact this might have on a need for local mental health rehabilitation beds, specifically at Ashley House in Grantham, which has been temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An outline of proposals and supporting information is available on the Trust’s website www.lpft.nhs.uk/MH-Rehab-Transformation, or available on request in a hard copy or alternative format by contacting the Participation Team on 01529 222245 or 07773 206341, or lpft.involvement@nhs.net
People can share their views via our survey, or choose to attend one of six public events around the county, or one of two online events.
The consultation will run between 16 January and 31 March 2023.
Following which the Trust will consider all feedback given and make a final decision on which option to progress.
This consultation will run between Monday 16 January and 31 March 2023.
For more information about the proposals and how to have your say please visit our webpage at www.lpft.nhs.uk/MH-Rehab-Transformation
If you require a different format, or language please contact:
The Participation Team.
Email: lpft.involvement@nhs.net
Phone: 01529 222245 or 07773 206341