Mental & Emotional  Health in Cornwall & Plymouth

   

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Update 16th March 2019

Ray attended the Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee at Cornwall Council, County Hall, Truro on Wednesday 13th March. There were a number of other service users who also attended.

The Trelawny Room, one of the committee rooms was fairly full with Councillors and other people from other bodies.

Oakleigh House was the 13th item on the agenda and came up around 1:30 pm after lunch. It was a hard day, but it was well worth seeing and understanding the lack of consultation or the understanding of the two who were there on behalf of the Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group (KCCG). Their apologies and excuses were embarrassing.

The problems the KCCG believe is a problem.

1. We get institutionalised.... REALLY????  With the same reality check, anyone in the same job for a year or two, become institutionalised, so they become stale and unable to think fresh thoughts.

2. Oakleigh is serving only a few people.... could be true, for the agreed consultation paper, said six pre-crisis houses with a total of 26 beds would be provided, giving one house in each of the six districts. Only one house has been provided.... that is not the fault of the service users or Regain as the provider. The fault lies with the commissioners, for not releasing the funding as promised, from the money saved by closing down the hospital beds.

3. Safety issues with Oakleigh House. As an ex trained health & safety British Telecom union secretary, I cannot but see and report safety issues. There has been one or two minor issues over the years and these were seen too immediately. There is one outstanding, which is minor, but needs funding, it isn't likely to be a risk to residents or staff. There is also one advisory which isn't a safety issue yet, but in about five years it could become one.

4. KCCG are setting up crisis cafe's..... Porth Eden was running one in Redruth, but ceased because of money in January...? Crasac Cornwall, ending services because funding ceased.... West Cornwall MIND.... gone because of funding.... Penta ceases the end of March because of lack of funding.

The old Social Service day centres are now just about defunked? Staff were withdrawn and service users were expected to run their own services. This turned into the prison type of "Top Dog" mentality... even I was attacked and I went over North Cliffs, for the second time, bushes and trees broke my fall. So though I could go back, I do not feel safe without professional trained staff.  

5. Service Users to run Peer 2 Peer groups.... who is going to do the training? What sort of Peer 2 Peer??? I have been in such groups and the strongest voice usually takes over.... Not always the best person to encourage others.

I remember a guy called Ron Coleman who recovered from schizophrenia, came to Boundervean  Day Centre in Camborne. Well I tell you what!.... It was like attending a Billy Graham Crusade (I did attend one)? What he was saying, no-one needs pills or day care or professionals... we can all recover if we exercise more and get a job..... It made me feel like total crap afterwards and a failure, for I have been trying hard to recover for decades. I ended up back in hospital.

It was a therapist, who helped me to stop the revolving door  of in and out of hospital along with Oakleigh House staff. They all listen to me and hear me without judgement. Also they gave me a truthful statement... Those with Long and Enduring  conditions may never recover... but that don't mean it's the end. We will always support you in finding coping techniques and this is what they still do. My medication has reduced and hospitalisation has near ceased... Suicidal and self-harm feelings are still at very high levels along with very high anxiety. But the coping techniques are holding strong, I still am getting support and extra tuition, without it, I do believe I could go back to old behaviours.

I cannot see the financial argument neither, one week in Oakleigh is less than £100.... in Longreach around £1,500 a week... so four weeks at Oakleigh = under £400 compared to £6,000 at Longreach or Fletcher in Bodmin?. People around me comment how good I seem after respite at Oakleigh, the same cannot be the same from hospital, usually I am put on new drugs.

The Government tell us we can go for the treatment which suits the service-user...  Well this user needs and want, the non clinical staff of Oakleigh, they seem to understand my complex needs without judgement.

1. Don't forget to download the petition Oakleigh House Petition 260219.docx  

 Please download the paper petition and get all your family, friends, work colleagues, people on public transport. Print and drop off copies in your local shops. The more support we have, the more chance the decision will be reversed and the right out-come will be decided. If you cannot download and print, please use the contact page and give an address where we can send you some copies. The only person to see and store your details in a secure place is the site administrator... Ray Hancock, who will destroy your information once the Commissioning Group has reconsidered their decision in favour of service users needs. Also in the fight to develop the original consultation, which said: Six pre-crisis would be developed, one in each of the District council area's.....

DOWNLOAD HERE:-

Oakleigh House Petition 260219.docx 

News Update 26th Feb 2019

Latest News: Lib Dems Cllr Colin Martin and Cllr. Jacquie Gammon ......

Colin Martin Today as Vice Chair of Cornwall Council's Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, I "called in" the decision by NHS Kernow to close Oakleigh Sanctuary House

. 
This will be debated at:- NEW COUNTY HALL

 on:- WEDNESDAY 13TH MARCH 2019....

THE MEETING STARTS AT 10:00AM. 

Jacquie Gammon, Cornwall councillor for Bodmin St Mary's, has requested that the council's health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee calls in the decision. 

As well as highlighting the impact on Oakleigh House Cllr Gammon is also concerned that a Nightlink phone service which is also run by Re-Gain, which operates Oakleigh House, is set to close this year. 

It had also been funded by the NHS until 2016 when funding was withdrawn but has continued since. 

Nightlink is a confidential phone service which offers out-of-hours support for people with mental health issues. 

She explained that she tells clients to use Nightlink, adding: ?In the middle of the night, feeling suicidal, they need to speak to someone and someone who understands. 

The Liberal Democrat councillor said that Oakleigh is capable of taking crisis clients and some of those using the service now are in crisis, although the NHS has said people in crisis would not be able to go there and would need the support of their community mental health team worker. 

Cllr Gammon said she was concerned that there had not been any consultation with clients or staff at Oakleigh House. 

She also said there did not appear to be any information about alternative services for clients.

 Thank you for all of those who have had their voices heard so far on radio and television.

Special thank you Laurence Reed for his support and interest in mental & emotional health.

Nice to meet with the Spotlight team at Oakleigh, whilst in respite.

Our campaign hasn't started yet, like most of you, it was only through Radio Cornwall, this issue was brought to the general public. Staff of the Foundation Trust and anyone connected with it, were gagged. The plan was hatched just before Christmas, but all was told to keep quiet.

It has been said, CPN's were told not to tell any service user about what was happening. Even those from next week, who are booked to go into Oakleigh House. If anyone who turns up without knowledge of the close down are expected (they will not be told) to contact their CPN and the CPN will inform them to take a taxi back home.

At present this has been expressed by a third party source. Could a CPN or someone with authority please either confirm or deny this.

Please add your name to the petitions:-

1. https://www.change.org/p/nhs-kernow-clinical-commissioning-group-public-health-department-in-st-austell-save-oakleigh-house-cornwall-s-only-mental-health-respite-center-a889ed8d-2367-4f44-bdf8-fd7abb77acb1

2. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-oakleigh-house

Combined signing so far over 1,500 in three days.... Please sign both and do read what others are saying about Oakleigh, including senior Cornwall Foundation Trust staff...? whilst the CEO seems to not understand anything about social interventions... He says:- I had in becoming a Foundation Trust Chief Executive and ensuring that we maintained our high performance, delivering a surplus...?.

Devastating service whilst delivering a surplus is not something to be proud of. This shows bad management skills, unless there is some kind of bonus in creating surpluses... then this is immoral.

OAKLEIGH HOUSE CLOSURE

Distressing news have been reaching service users of a emotional / mental health respite facility.

The over subscribed respite home, has been a life saver for thousands of service users over the years. Many of the guests were revolving  door patients of acute mental health hospitals.

Oakleigh House has been a resounding success for service users in Cornwall.

Once upon a time, Cornwall mental health service users were the envy of the rest of the UK. It had a really active service user representative group (SURG) and led where many other groups followed.

It wasn't just a talking shop but a very active body, it was listen too by Social Services and The old Primary Care Trust and Cornwall Mental Health NHS. Services users sat at the top tables of all decisions affecting services, even sitting on the interviewing board for staff at all levels.

Through this process, one of the biggest shouts were for a respite care facility as an alternative to having to spend time on a psychiatric ward. If your going through a rough time and not able to think straight, a stay in hospital is the last place you want to be, especially if there are very disturbed patients on ward.

Over the last few years mental health services have deteriorated in Cornwall to a miserable state of affairs. Staffed Day-Centres have ceased, unless people are there to attend a structure course, or drop-in can be run by the service users. This can put people at high risks, without the back-up of trained staff to intervene in crisis resolution.

There were also Service User led drop-ins, but these were cash starved and the poultry sums involved, saved the tax payer a lot of money. Helping those who needed to just talk through issues the chance to do this without going to hospital.

Oakleigh House accommodates five guests at a time, including a ground floor room for anyone with mobility issues. The staff are all very intuitive and can empathise  with the guest who maybe experiencing a lot of emotional / mental pain. This is because staff are selected by them their selves,  have or still have some of their issues. This enhances their ability to treat guests with total respect and non-judgemental, no matter how the guest are. The staff dedication is second to none of those who I have known throughout a lifetime of issues.

I will write again in a couple of weeks time. But in the meantime, if you are affected, please make contact with SUN via the CONTACT page.... I guess most who are allowed to go to Oakleigh, have this on their care plans.... What has been put into your Care Plan to make sure you still get respite, I know how much it is needed, I don't fancy going to hospital again.

Also are there any service users who have been consulted on this backward move?

In the same time frame Penta ( remnants  of West Cornwall Mind, was hosted by Pentreath Industries)

hasn't received any funding, so service users in Camborne, Helston & Penzance are all left high & dry.

 Service User Network Cornwall open our doors to all those who are left without support. We cannot advise, but together we can support each other, we are not funded, nor do we have the energy to chase funding... This is SERVICE USERS DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES... A lot of us are in this position because we were abandoned or let down when we were young.... Well SUN don't rely on others, we do it for each other.

Take care of yourselves and others who need it... looks like we are on our own.

Once I have the full facts, I will keep you informed and look at a massive campaign throughout Cornwall.

Well done to those who phoned into Laurence Reed on Radio Cornwall 12 noon to 3:00pm on Friday.

Laurence is going to try and get some answers and will be on today (18th Feb) with a special programme regarding Oakleigh... But please do call him if you have lost any support or services. We are receiving many calls from people in crisis. The worse one so far, someone who says they were in hospital with an overdose back last November and are still waiting for an assessment from the Community Mental Health Team.. This isn't good enough, no one would put up with it with a physical health issue.... NEITHER WILL WE....

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The page if you get lost at anytime, just click the HOME button and come back here.

Hey! got any up-lifting photo's? scenic, animals, colourful, in fact anything to give a warm fuzzy feeling.

Please send in JPEG format and try to keep size down below 100k ....Thank you

If you need a little bit of visual stimulation, then there are links to two providers, between them there are four thousand televison stations from all around the world. There must be something that you like. Though I did say when I first got Freeview, cor! look at this, I use to have five channels of Cr*p, now I have thirty channels of cr*p.