Mental health beds so full in North West that numbers of people being sent away from home has risen by 70%
Report by Granada Reports Correspondent Mel Barham
'No mental health beds anywhere in the country' - the alarming situation faced by some patients in the North West over the last year, due to increasing pressure on the NHS.
A shortage of mental health beds means many vulnerable and desperately unwell people are having to wait for treatment or sent miles from home, many to private hospitals, at huge cost to the health service.
One man who was sent three hours away from home, says the distance made him feel worse than when he had tried to take his own life.
Dave, not his real name, had spent four days in A&E on the Wirral because there were no mental health beds anywhere in the country.
In the end, he was sent 145 miles away to a private hospital in Darlington.
Dave told ITV Granada Reports, "Two days at the hospital in Darlington I said to them I feel worse now being in here than I did when I tried to commit suicide, that's how bad I feel right now. I'd rather be dead than sitting in this room."
Dave's experience is not unique. In the last year, the numbers of patients being sent on what are called 'inappropriate out of area placements' has been steadily rising.
In February 2020, 85 people in the North West were actively being treated away from their local area.
In February 2021 that figure had risen to 145 - a 70% increase. Of those, 85 were sent more than 100km away - some to private hospitals.
The cost to the NHS in just that one month was £1,914,268.
Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "Sending mental health patients far from home, sometimes hundreds of miles away, because there isn't the right bed available locally is completely unacceptable.
"It can have a devastating impact on patients and their loved ones. Treating patients close to home speeds up recovery, reduces the risk of suicide and shortens hospital stays.
"It is extremely disappointing that progress towards eliminating inappropriate out-of-area placements has stalled. We need urgent action to ensure that local mental health beds are readily available for all patients that need them.
"In some areas that are really struggling this will need funding for some additional beds that are properly staffed.
"To reduce overall pressure on beds the government must also continue the welcome investment and development of community mental health services set out in the NHS Long Term Plan so that people with mental illness can get the right support earlier on, reducing the likelihood of them reaching crisis point."
The charity, Rethink Mental Illness, say not only does the Government need to spend more money on mental health beds in hospitals, but they also need to invest significantly more into social care in the community.
Brian Dow, Deputy CEO, Rethink Mental Illness said: "We know that over the last 10 or 12 years the money that local councils have to deliver those critical services has been cut and cut and until we reform that we are effectively pouring money down a drain.
"If somebody was in critical need for their physical health condition and there was literally nowhere to go there would be a revolution on the streets.
"We have to be fair about this and recognise the pandemic has created unprecedented demand, but I think the problem with mental health is because of the pressures on social care, which is where many people receive the support they need, unless you invest in that then the risk is people will be stranded, isolated, and won't end up getting better."
After five days at the private hospital in Darlington, a bed was found for Dave near his home on the Wirral.
He has since been offered help and support from the suicide prevention charity, the Martin Gallier Project. He says they have saved his life.
He said: "The NHS has done an incredible job and does an incredible job, especially during recent times and it is no detriment to the NHS that there aren't beds available, but something needs to be done.
"Somebody with that strategic overview needs to rectify the system so that more mental health beds are available.
"More importance needs to be placed on mental health, and more understanding, more research."
The Martin Gallier Project says on the Wirral, services are working well together. That is not necessarily the picture in other parts of the North West.
The Government had set itself a target to end inappropriate out of area placements for mental health patients by the end of last month. They say the pandemic has impacted the timely delivery of the OAPs ambition.
"Pressures have increased with a number of bed closures due to the need for infection control, reduced community networks, staff absences and higher levels of mental health need presenting to services. We continue to work closely with NHSEI to monitor this.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:
“It is important those who require inpatient care are treated as close to home as possible. We continue to work with NHS England to monitor inappropriate out of area placements, with areas refreshing their local plans to ensure out of area placements are eliminated as soon as reasonably possible.
“We are committed to expanding and transforming mental health services in England and investing an additional £2.3 billion a year in mental health services by 2023/24.”
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