Older Peoples Mental Health

Closed consultation

This consultation closed on Friday 31 December 2010

Have your say on older peoples mental health services in Cambridgeshire

NHS Cambridgeshire , in association with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation, developed four options for the redesign of older peoples mental health services in Huntingdonshire and Fenland.

Our redesign proposals aim to;

• Meet national guidance, best practice and improved quality of care
• Implement the National Dementia Strategy
• Introduce a primary care older peoples mental health (OPMH) service in both of these localities focussing on early diagnosis, intervention and support for service users and carers of older people with either functional (depression) or organic (e.g dementia) mental health problems
• Further strengthen the community-based OPMH Intermediate Care Services
• Expand the range of day services available to people with dementia in both localities
• Establish a small number of beds within a local nursing home able, with support from specialist GPs and local mental health services, to care for service users with dementia who cannot be cared for within the community but who do not need access to an acute older peoples mental health ward
• Expand the liaison psychiatry function at Hinchingbrooke Hospital
• Close the current acute older peoples mental health wards at Hinchingbrooke (Hawthorn ward) and North Cambs (Rowan Lodge) Hospitals.  As detailed in the consultation paper, both already have significant empty capacity since the introduction of Intermediate Care older peoples mental health services.
• Accommodation for older people with acute mental health needs at the new purpose-built facility at Peterborough in Maple Wards 1 (dementia) and 2 (functional e.g depression)

The four options were:

• Option 1 - Continue as we are with limited community development and close no wards
• Option 2 - Close Rowan Lodge and implement the proposed changes in Fenland only
• Option 3 - Close Hawthorn ward and implement changes in Huntingdonshire only
• Option 4 - Develop community provision and close both wards (this is NHS Cambridgeshire's preferred option)

The consultation ran from Monday 4 October - Friday 31 December 2010

The decision

All the feedback received during the public consultation was carefully considered and has been reflected in the final decision, which was made at the NHS Cambridgeshire Board on 26 January 2011.  The Board Paper, which summarises the feedback received during the public consultation, is available to downloand below.  A decision was made to close Hawthorn Ward in Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Rowan Lodge in Wisbech, and to develop expanded primary care and community-based services in both localities. The main benefits for patients are as follows:

• Improved mental and physical health outcomes for older people with mental health problems, due to earlier diagnosis and subsequent provision of effective help within the community;
• More people able to access specialist help;
• Improved hospital experience, including reduced lengths of stay, for older people with dementia admitted to Hinchingbrooke Hospital for other treatments
• More care delivered in local primary care and community settings, enabling people to receive treatment closer to home; 
• Appropriate and effective use of public money;
• Older people in Huntingdonshire and Fenland requiring an acute admission will be cared for in modern purpose-built facilities.