Published 22 September 2023:

At a Full Council assembly held on twentieth September, all councillors backed a movement setting out issues concerning the lack of acute psychological well being beds and the results this has had for residents and workers within the metropolis.

Councillors from each political teams known as on the NHS to reopen acute psychological well being beds in South Westminster to make sure that the wants of native individuals are met. They highlighted the significance of group psychological well being providers however had been clear that they shouldn’t be funded on the expense of acute hospital beds, and that each sorts of providers are wanted to help folks with completely different wants and at completely different phases of their affected person journey. They agreed that that is the view they may categorical when the NHS launches a proper session on adjustments to native well being providers within the autumn.

In the movement, it was stated that the lack of Westminster’s 51 acute psychological well being beds because the non permanent closure of the Gordon Hospital in Pimlico was having an affect. This consists of sufferers having to attend for much longer to entry an acute mattress, typically in unsuitable environments reminiscent of Accident and Emergency departments in hospitals. It was stated that when an acute psychological well being mattress is lastly discovered, it’s exterior Westminster, and typically very removed from the town, which contributes to the isolation of psychological well being sufferers from their households and communities. It was additionally stated that the closure of this native acute provision has had a specific affect on communities least in a position to entry different help.

The movement additionally highlighted that there’s no indication that the necessity for acute psychological well being beds is decreasing. The knowledge reveals that in 2022/23 workers assessed 1070 folks, 49 folks greater than in 2021/22. Of these 1070 folks, 777 had been referred for acute hospital care, which is 103 extra folks than in 2021/22.

Councillors additionally agreed that the closure of the Gordon has put immense strain on different components of the system. For instance, St Charles, the acute psychological well being hospital in Kensington & Chelsea is discovering that their sufferers are having to maneuver out of borough to make method for Westminster sufferers. St Mary’s hospital is having to host a number of psychological well being sufferers at a time for as much as 24 hours in beds which can be wanted for sufferers who’re bodily in poor health. The Metropolitan Police is discovering that their assets are tied up in escorting psychological well being sufferers in A&E for as much as 24 hours at a time.

For the total wording of the Council Motion learn here.

UPDATE 29 September 2023:

Councillors have acquired an replace from an impartial well being professional, as a part of a session scrutinising NHS plans for a forthcoming session about the way forward for acute psychological well being providers in Westminster.

The replace was given by Professor Jill Manthorpe at a gathering of the Children, Adults, Public Health and Voluntary Sector Policy and Scrutiny Committee. That session additionally heard from representatives of NHS providers about their plans for his or her forthcoming public session, together with the way forward for the Gordon Hospital in Pimlico which has been “temporarily closed” since 2020.

Professor Manthorpe, who has been commissioned by Westminster and neighbouring Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea councils to have a look at the problems, gave a verbal replace to the committee. She stated that her impartial evaluate would assist to tell responses to the forthcoming session and added that she was additionally “charting the process” from the non permanent closure to a present “big discussion” a few everlasting proposal.

She famous that Westminster has already “lost a lot of provision locally, not just the Gordon Hospital and that “there is recognition that everywhere needs in-patient beds”. She additionally stated that the Gordon was “very accessible for everyone”, together with sufferers, carers, household and workers and that it “operated more as a community hub”.

Councillors on the committee additionally famous the cross-party movement authorised on the newest Full Council assembly in regards to the want for acute psychological well being beds in south Westminster, in addition to elevating issues in regards to the affect on workers and in addition that Westminster residents aren’t being seen within the metropolis and are having to journey out of the borough. Moving ahead, the committee heard {that a} joint scrutiny committee was being established with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the small print of that are at the moment being labored out.

• The particulars of the scrutiny report might be discovered here.
• The particulars of the council’s movement on the Gordon Hospital might be discovered here.