Improvements needed

7:30am Fri May 21, 2010

The need for improvements in mental health services for older people in Newark was highlighted during the consultation.

Criticism was directed at the lack of services and concern was raised about increased travelling for relatives and carers.

Newark Hospital’s Friary Ward, which cared for older people with mental health problems, was closed about a month before the consultation began.

Both of NHS Nottinghamshire County’s two options for mental health services for older people included permanent closure of Friary Ward.

Option two allowed for a small step-down unit at Newark for patients to be treated after acute care elsewhere.

It is not yet clear how and where such a unit would be provided.

Almost half of those who responded to the consultation preferred a step-down unit at Newark, with more challenging patients treated at Ashfield Community Hospital.

The support was based on concerns about increased travelling for relatives and carers without a local step-down unit.

It was felt that repatriation of patients to their local community after treatment elsewhere would improve rehabilitation.

Just 8% of people who answered the question preferred option one, which would see patients treated at Ashfield, Lincoln or Grantham. There was no mention of Newark in option one.

The other 43% did not answer the question, explaining in the comments section they had no knowledge of the subject.