Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/635/10109
From The Socialist newspaper, 18 August 2010
Cuts devastate mental health services
Community mental health care bosses in Southwark, south London, aim to save £3.7 million in two years. They have explicitly stated that they are moving away from providing sustained, long term community support by handing responsibility to patients, who may not be ready or able to manage their own care.
Community teams across Southwark currently support 2,800 patients but are now expected to rapidly discharge 500 to 800 clients. All agency posts are to be cut, which will result in workloads increasing.
Smaller teams of six workers are planned, made up of three 'band six' and three 'band five' workers. However, most of the existing nursing posts are in band six, whose experience and training are of paramount importance when supporting people with severe and enduring illness within their communities. This means almost half of the workers will be demoted and suffer pay cuts of between £5,000 and £10,000 a year, depending on length of service.
The demotions will lead to demoralisation amongst frontline, very experienced staff who are effectively being driven out, reducing the amount of experience, skill and training in the workforce.
Patient admission stays are also to be cut, meaning patients will be briefly, and possibly more frequently, locked up, drugged up and then discharged with very short term, patchy support. GPs will be expected to care for chronically disabled people and they will not have the skills, time or desire to fill the gaps in mental health service provision.
If patients are not adequately supported then both patients and communities will be left exposed to increased rates of violent incidents, self harm, suicide, severe neglect, substance abuse and homelessness.
A mental health worker
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 18 August 2010:
International socialist news
Pakistan: Workers' solidarity urgently needed
Floods in Pakistan bring devastation - poor suffer most
Socialist Party youth and students
Youth must fight for a future!
Student demo should be start of the fightback
Uni bosses say cuts will cause closures
Socialist Party editorial
Forecasts of fragile economic growth
Socialist Party news and analysis
Cameron sticks the boot into our council housing
Private-profit company granted 'snoopers' charter'
Private Finance Initiative: A licence to print money
Socialist Party campaigns
Coventry Against the Cuts challenge councillors' 'legal obligation'
Northern Ireland: Belfast Stop the Cuts Alliance established
Bromley care workers fight privatisation and job cuts
Defend Our Community Services launched in Bracknell
Cuts devastate mental health services
Socialist Party Marxist analysis
Socialist Party workplace news
Kirklees Unison strike ballot launched
CWU members accept BT pay deal
Debate how to fight back at Socialism 2010
Tube staff vote for action against cuts
Jobs under threat at Ministry of Justice
Airport workers win improved offer from BAA
Socialist Party events
Socialist Party summer camp - book now!
International socialist news and analysis
Russia's raging wildfires - a crisis of government policies
Socialist Party news and comment
Bradford must organise against the EDL
Birmingham: Community says 'No' to racist spy cameras
Home | The Socialist 18 August 2010 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
