Mental health campaigners head to Westminster to demand change in Norfolk and Suffolk
Campainers claim there have been more than 1,000 deaths linked to the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Last updated 5th Jul 2022
A group of mental health campaigners are heading to London today to call for major reforms to the way services are run in Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk are due to hold a demonstration outside parliament and meet with MPs, as they press for a public inquiry.
The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) was placed back into special measures earlier this year.
The trust has struggled to deliver services for almost a decade.
In the last two years, at least 65 people have taken their own lives after using Norfolk and Suffolk mental health services, with men far more likely to die ‘unexpectedly’.
According to official figures 320 people have died unexpectedly within six months of using NSFT services, however local campaigners claim there have been more than 1,000 avoidable deaths.
Issues highlighted by the CQC at the trust include staffing problems, staff failing to check on patients and major problems on the Dragonfly Unit - an inpatient unit for young people in Suffolk.
There have also been consistent issues with patients being sent out of the area to get treatment.
In a statement released after the damning CQC inspection in April, Stuart Richardson, Chief Executive Officer at NSFT said: “We fully accept the areas that the CQC say need to improve.
“The people of Norfolk and Suffolk deserve good quality mental health services and we are committed to achieving this. People have worked tirelessly to keep services open during the pandemic and I want to thank all my colleagues for their hard work.
“We recognise that we have not made the expected progress in some key areas, and I am deeply sorry for this and the impact this will have had on people who need support with their mental health."
NSFT could face legal action if it fails to make improvements.