Mental health campaigners holding rallies in Norfolk and Suffolk this weekend
They'll be meeting at Norwich's Chapelfield Gardens at 11am on Saturday, and at Ipswich's Town Hall at 11am on Sunday.
Last updated 10th Oct 2022
Local mental health campaigners are holding a march and rally this weekend- demanding an end to funding cuts and better services for those who need them.
They'll once again be demanding that a statutory public inquiry is held into the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust- which has been rated inadequate four times by the Care Quality Commission since 2017.
While also calling for the provider which has recorded hundreds of 'avoidable' deaths over the last 6 months, be disbanded- and be directly taken over by the government.
They'll be meeting at Norwich's Chapelfield Gardens at 11am on Saturday, and at Ipswich's Town Hall at 11am on Sunday.
"These aren't small matters; these deaths are unnecessary"
Mark Harrison is from the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk.
He says things can't carry on as they are:
"Too many people have died and too many people are continuing to die. At the moment there are too many suicides, particularly of young people and of students who aren't getting a service, either at university or at home when they come back. We are really concerned because these aren't small matters; these deaths are unnecessary".
"Too many people who are in desperate need of mental health treatment aren't getting it because they are parked on waiting lists. Most worryingly, there are not enough beds so people who need them are either being sent 100s of miles around the country or they are being parked at home with their family, without getting a proper service."
"We need a complete culture change and a values shift"
Mr Harrison also told us that the Government must right the wrongs of the past.
But he admits that the Prime Minister, Liz Truss and Health Secretary, Therese Coffey- (Norfolk and Suffolk MPs)- have never engaged in their campaign:
"We need a complete culture change and a values shift, enough of this top-down nonsense. We need people to engage with service users, patients, carers and staff in a meaningful way- so that we can solve this problem together".
"The dysfunction is at a political level and at a senior civil servant level in the Department of Health and in NHS England and improvement, they are doing everything to obstruct change and that's the frustrating thing. The people who are supposed to be looking after the interests of patients and service users aren't doing their job".
What have the NSFT said:
Stuart Richardson is Chief Executive of the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust.
“We have already taken action to improve, including increasing support and training for our staff, redoubling our efforts to recruit more nurses and doctors and bringing services closer to people’s homes through our community transformation projects.
However, we recognise there is more to do and are continuing to work closely with our patients, service users, staff and partners to drive sustainable improvements and build strong foundations for the future.
We are focusing on five key areas – safety, timely access, engaging with staff, governance and leadership and changing services to meet people’s needs – so that we can make sure everyone in Norfolk and Suffolk receives the mental health services they deserve".