Legal News
Mentally Ill Patients Struggle To Receive Emergency Treatment (25 November 2011)
Date: 25/11/2011
Individuals with mental health problems are facing difficulties when trying to attain emergency treatment, campaigners claim. A review conducted by the mental health charity, Mind, has highlighted the scope of difficulties patients with mental health problems face when trying to get help from their local crisis teams and general hospitals. The report states that responses to treatment requests were often slow and that many individuals were faced with a lack of specialist services in their area. The charity has warned that the problems are becoming increasingly worse and has called for NHS managers to review the services they provide to the mentally ill.
The chief executive of Mind, Paul Farmer, claimed that individuals experiencing mental health emergencies were faced with lengthy waits and an inadequate quality of care. Some individuals were unable to access the support that they required. Mind conducted its review of mental health services from autumn 2010 through to summer 2011. The charity carried out a range of focus groups, interviewed, and sought feedback from a total of 400 healthcare users and staff. The review focused on inpatient hospital care and community crisis teams in England and Wales and in its report, claims to have found some examples of “good” and “excellent” levels of care. However, it noted that such standards failed to be universal. Paul Burstow, the Care Services Minister, claimed that he would work in conjunction with Mind to enhance patient services.
Duncan Lewis’ mental health solicitors protect the rights of individuals with mental health problems. The department has been in operation for many years and is the UK’s largest provider of mental health legal aid services.