Mental illness cases in Leicestershire are up during economic slump
Mental health services are under strain because money worries and fears of unemployment have led to a rise in the number of people needing treatment for psychiatric problems.
Antony Sheehan, chief executive of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, which runs mental health services, says the economic slump has led to an increase in the demand for beds.
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Antony Sheehan
People are also staying in hospital longer for treatment than they were a year ago.
The trust has activated a contingency plan and put up emergency beds to try to cope with the rising hospital numbers.
Antony Sheehan, chief executive of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said: "We are seeing higher referral rates and experience in society is that recession, unemployment and concerns about money is affecting people's mental health.
"Many vulnerable people are already clinging to a cliff edge and I hope that in the recession the plight of these people does not get lost."
Mr Sheehan said the trust was managing the increase in patients "just about, but it's tight."
He added: "I don't like that our staff are under stress."
The latest figures show that in July a total of 146 patients were admitted to general psychiatric wards at the Bradgate Unit at Glenfield Hospital and the Brandon Unit at Leicester General Hospital.
It marks a 2.9 per cent increase in admissions in the past six months and has led to 100 per cent bed occupancy.
The trust usually works to about 95 per cent occupancy, which gives some flexibility to accommodate emergency admissions.
In the six months from February to July this year, there were 886 admissions, compared to 764 for the previous six months.
As well as a rise in numbers the trust that patients' problems are increasingly complex, with conditions such as severe depression, bipolar disorder and psychosis.
The average length of stay by patients has, at times, increased by as much as ten days since Christmas.
In a bid to cope with the numbers, two emergency beds have been put up in meeting rooms at the Brandon Unit.
Bosses have said they may also need to use a single room on the specialist eating disorders unit.
But Mr Sheehan said although a single room on the unit had been included in the trust's contingency plan it had not so far been needed.
He added: "We need to use our beds in a flexible way. If I have the choice of providing a bed for someone who needs it, or not, I would provide the bed – the public would expect that to happen."
Officials at Mind, the national mental health charity, said they are also seeing a big increase in calls to its telephone helpline.
Alison Kerry from the charity said: "The recession is having an emotional as well as a financial impact.
"Job insecurity, redundancy and debts put a strain on relationships, cause sleepless nights, trigger stress and increase the risk of developing depression."
She added: "The situation at the moment might seem bleak but we would encourage anyone struggling with their finances to talk about their concerns and seek advice and help."
Anyone wishing to contact the charity Mind can call its info-line on 0845 766 0163.
5 Comments
by Richard Wakefield, Leicester
Thursday, September 16 2010, 12:57PM
“Prof Sheehan doesn't mention the fact that the policy of delaying admission and early discharge is causing an increase in the number of readmissions as well as increasing the severity of the illnesses, and also putting many carers at severe risk, if not actually over the top. The Mental Health Service continues to flounder along, unable to cope and, from my personal obversation, not interested in improvement as long as they can keep one step ahead of litigation.
If you read all the items in the Leicester Mercury oncerning this service, bed closures and 'no beds for patients' you will see that there is no consistency - the answers change to excuse the latest outrage.
The Trust cannot even correspond with 'official sources' with integrity and honesty.
It is time for Prof Sheehan and his team to get their heads out of the sand, acknowledge and understand how appalling the service is and get on with sorting it out.
Maybe then we will have a mental health service that is not a laughing stock and disgrace.”
by Billy, leicester
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:25PM
“A convenient excuse!!!
I am astounded at this article. It is a disgrace to blame the "economic slump" For the Current pressure's on Psychiatric beds. A recent mercury report that higlighted similar issues sprang to mind ,where a trust spokesperson correctly informed us "No psychiatric bed closures in the past three years". What she omitted to tell us was that in the past 6 years we have lost well over 120 Psychiatric beds. During these closure's there was no "economic slump" just an unquenchable thirst for cost cutting and Privatization..Those people who occupied the closed beds havent just gone away , They are clogging up the acute system because community staff cannot cope with the demand. So to blame the pressure on Psychiatric beds on the "economic slump "is , as i said a "convenient excuse!!!”
by Billy Buswell, Leicester
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:10PM
“A convenient excuse!!
I am astounded by this article. It is an absolute disgrace to blame the "econimic slump" for the current pressure's on psychiatric services.
A recent mercury article higlighted a sililar issue. A Trust spokeswoman impressed upon us that there had been "no psychiatric bed closures in 3 years". What this spokesperson conveniently omitted was that well over 100 psychiatric beds have been closed, (or sold to the nearest bidder) in the past 5 years.
During these closures there was no "economic slump". Only an unquenchable thirst for cost cutting and privitization. I would humbly suggest that those persons who once occupied the 100 or more closed beds are now occupiying the acute settings.The "economic slump" seems a coneinient excuse for the trust allowing the mental health service to be wittled down to the point that they are arguing over a couple of beds.. A "onvenient excuse."”
by Andy, Leicester
Monday, September 06 2010, 12:00PM
“Hi Julia
!00% correct on this comment I worry about exactly that. My mental health suffers just filling in the dam forms being declared fit would see me at least self harming at worst suicidal. My Depression recurs often without outside stressors.”
by Julie, Leicester
Monday, September 06 2010, 10:58AM
“Following on from your story last week about the new Incapacity Benefit tests and the amount of people who are likely to be declared suddenly fit to seek work I would expect that the number suffering an acute crisis in mental health will rise substantially.
There are bound to be many people with anxiety, depression and other mental health problems who will suddenly find themselves declared fit and facing the added stress of applying for jobs that they are -because of their medical history and the current employment situation- extremely unlikely to get.
I hope the NHS is ready for the fallout from this.”