NHS Lanarkshire is committed to enhancing the patient experience
for people with mental health issues and ensuring quality of
service continues to improve. To achieve this, NHS Lanarkshire has
developed proposals to further invest in community services, which
will continue to reduce the need for inpatient beds. This follows
the national policy of rebalancing care to provide services closer
to people's own homes.
Background
A great deal of progress has been made in the last decade to
deliver better care to patients by modernising mental health
services in Lanarkshire. New units have included Glencairn at
Coathill Hospital and Beckford Lodge in Hamiltonas well as new
dedicated mental health facilities at Carluke Community Health
Centre, Douglas Street Community Health Clinic, Bellshill Community
Health Clinic and the Buchanan Centre in Coatbridge. These
developments have enabled the closure of outdated facilities at
Hartwoodhill Hospital this year.
There has been considerable investment in community-based
services including out of hours services in line with National
Crisis Standards. These developments have reduced the need
and demand for in-patient treatment, leading to a reduction in bed
occupancy levels. It continues a trend that has seen inpatient beds
in Lanarkshire go from around 2,500 beds in the 1950s to a few
hundred currently. NHS Lanarkshire has developed proposals to
continue this process of modernisation including a small further
reduction in bed numbers.
To read more about current services, learn more about the
proposals and how to submit feedback, please see the NHS Lanarkshire Modernising Mental Health
page. The deadline for feedback is 16th July 2011.