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Camden New Journal - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 2 August 2007

Patients ‘ignored’ over mental health hospitals merger

MENTAL health services chiefs have been accused of attempting to force through plans to merge two of Camden’s day hospitals in an £8 million cost-cutting drive.
Only one week remains until the consultation deadline on August 10.
Representatives of Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust faced a tough audience at a public consultation at Hampstead Town Hall late last month.
Former day hospital patient Charles Watson, who lives in West Hampstead, called for a vote to be taken on plans to reduce three day hospitals – Felix Brown, at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, Jules Thorn in St Pancras Way, Camden Town and one in Fordwych Road, West Hampstead – to just two, with day places reduced from 85 to 65 and staff cut by seven. But his plea was ignored and no vote was taken.
Felix Brown and Fordwych Road will be merged to create North Camden Recovery Centre on the site of Daleham House in Swiss Cottage, and Jules Thorn will become South Camden Recovery Centre.
High on the list of anxieties is a fear the trust will forge ahead with the plans despite facing dissent.
Objectors protested over proposals to reduce the recommended maximum length of stay to three months, although trust bosses say patients will not be discharged before they are ready.
Assistant director for community services George Platts said: “Across the service we will retain capacity. The decision about discharging from services is clinical. We’ve some good things to do here and we’d like to keep the momentum going. Some people expressed that the changes are purely for financial benefit. The drive is not just financial, it’s also an improved model of care.”
Christopher Mason, who also attended the meeting, said: “It’s about scarce resources. There’s this concern about the length of stay. Will there be enough time to allow people to recover?
“The consultation is just an exercise they are legally bound to carry out and regardless of what’s said they will do what they want.”
A trust spokeswoman said: “The recovery centres would be better linked to other organisations so that people who have suffered a severe mental health problem can be helped back into work, education and leisure opportunities in local communities.”

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