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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY D.J. DE SOUSA OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 17th MAY 2011
Question
Following recent reports in the media, would the Minister inform members as to whether she will commit to a full and independent investigation into the provision and delivery of services to adults with mental health and related conditions within the remit of Health and Social Services and, if not, why not?
Answer
A nursing staff review for all inpatient wards was carried out between 2007 and 2008. Although the review identified a shortfall of nursing staff within Old Age Psychiatry it did find the staff allocation on Beech Ward to be adequate at the time.
Since then the needs of this complex and vulnerable client group have continued to increase and the Ward is now facing a staffing challenge. This was identified within a 2010 report written by Dr Lesley Wilson , Consultant Psychiatrist for Old Age Psychiatry and is also the opinion of the Jersey Alzheimer's Association.
Within the 2012 Business Plan HSSD has identified the need for an additional £750k for old age psychiatry services, of which £617,000 would be invested in nurse staffing. As an interim measure, the Department has reprioritised its existing budget and employed 6 additional Health Care Assistants in old age psychiatry services. This is however only a short term measure and funding will finish at the end of 2011.
The 2012 Business Plan also includes a £1.1 million capital bid to refurbish the Clinique Pinel facility which includes Beech Ward . This will be in addition to the fiscal stimulus monies already invested in improvements to the facilities in Rosewood House.
HSSD's Mental Health Services are currently accredited with the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) and College Centre of Quality Improvement (CCQI) through the AIMS scheme (Accreditation for Inpatient Mental Health Services). Orchard House is also accredited through this process and will be further reviewed during this year. The Memory Clinic is also audited through the Memory Services National Accreditation Programme, with accreditation awarded until 2014.
HSSD is also currently seeking accreditation with the Psychiatric Liaison Accreditation Network for our Liaison Mental Health Services. These services will also be reviewed through RCP & CCQI.
In addition to these formal review processes Mental Health Services also undertook an external nurse consultant lead review in 2008 and works closely with the Alzheimer's Association and the independent patient's advocacy service provided by Jersey FOCUS.
Mental Health Services are already subject to independent review through the accreditation processes. Any additional independent review process would simply serve to identify the problems that are already known in relation to the shortages and pressures in staff nursing and the poor state of facilities. The Department believes that resources would be better allocated to addressing these issues than to investing in another independent review.
It is always regrettable when it is perceived that an individual's care has fallen below expectations. As evidenced by recent media coverage however, it is very clear that our staff, who are all specially trained to work with people with dementia, care passionately for their patients and are committed to providing the highest possible standards.