NHS HIGHLAND BOARD APPROVES MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSALS FOR ARGYLL AND BUTE
On 12 January 2009 NHS Highland launched its formal public consultation on proposals for change to adult mental health services in Argyll and Bute. This consultation outlined five options and followed on from extensive work on reviewing mental health services involving many local service users, carers, NHS staff as well as staff from Argyll and Bute Council.
Following the end of the consultation on 10 April Argyll & Bute Community Health Partnership recommended that Option 4 be the preferred option and this option was presented to the Board of NHS Highland on 02 June 2009 where members of the Board backed the recommendation from Argyll & Bute CHP.
Now that the final option has been formally approved it is anticipated that implementation and delivery of this option will commence in September 2009 with the expectation that the process will be complete by September 2012.
The main details of this Option are as follows:
• More support for self-help and voluntary organisations
• New primary care service to support GPs
• Enhanced community teams integrated with Social Work services
• Crisis response capability and assertive outreach
• Specialist Day Assessment & Treatment Service, including education centre
• A purpose built modern in-patient facility in Lochgilphead (to replace Argyll & Bute Hospital) consisting of;
• 20-26 Acute/Rehabilitation beds
• 6 Intensive psychiatric care unit beds
• 10 Dementia Assessment beds
• 20 Dementia Continuing care beds (in Mid Argyll Hospital)
In approving Option 4 the Board of NHS Highland is also supporting the CHP proposals that the role of community hospitals should be developed to provide 24 hour admission for assessment by the local community mental health team. This will allow people to return home with increased support, or if necessary will help facilitate admission to an acute in-patient facility where this is unavoidable.
Bill Brackenridge, NHS Highland Board member and Chairman of Argyll & Bute Community Health Partnership (CHP) said:
“Argyll & Bute Community Health Partnership has been working with our colleagues in Argyll and Bute Council to review and modernise our mental health services across Argyll and Bute.
“We have also been working closely with service users, carers, staff and our local communities in the development of the various options that we took out to consultation on the 12 January.
“During the 12 week consultation period a total of 38 meetings and events were held across Argyll and Bute with over 560 people attending. Some of the meetings were tailored to certain groups such as service users and staff whereas others were open events.
“Following the end of this consultation Argyll & Bute CHP recommended Option 4 to the Board of NHS Highland and this was approved by the Board at their meeting on 02 June.
“We are now looking at moving forward with this option and it is anticipated that the implementation and delivery will commence in September 2009 with the expectation that it will be complete by September 2012.
“I would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation for their ideas, hard work and participation and the CHP looks forward to developing our mental health proposals with staff, service users, carers, and our local communities.”
