A SPECIALIST mental health facility is at risk of closure after an NHS Trust announced it is ‘considering the future’ of inpatient services in west Cumbria.
The Yewdale Ward at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven currently provides support for up to 16 men and women with severe mental health problems who need treatment in hospital.
The Cumberland, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the services, say concerns have been raised for many years over the ability to provide high quality, safe services in west Cumbria.
The Trust says Yewdale Ward is 40 miles away from its other services at the Carleton Clinic in Carlisle, it is difficult to recruit enough of the right staff to run Yewdale Ward properly and the ward is ‘no longer fit for purpose’ to deliver modern health care services.
But health campaigners and community leaders have voiced concerns over the potential removal of inpatient services from west Cumbria.
The Copeland area has the highest suicide rate in England, with 20 people per 100,000 dying by suicide in 2020-22 – double the national rate. Referrals to local mental health services have trebled since 2017.
Christine Wharrier, of the We Need West Cumberland Hospital campaign group, said: "Last month it was highlighted we have one of the highest suicide rates in the country. The Trust's answer to that is to close inpatient beds.
“It will be disastrous. I wonder who did the risk assessment. Mental health community care is a car crash with little funding. We have become the donor services for other regions."
Mahesh Dhebar, campaigner and former West Cumberland Hospital consultant, said: “Mental health disease is a hidden epidemic, it affects all ages. Mental health matters. Strong minds are very important for general wellbeing.
“Out-patient care as well as in-patient care is needed to support people with mental health disease.”
Joseph Ghayouba, who represents Bransty on Cumberland Council, said: “As councillor for one of the wards in Whitehaven - a town which has one of the highest suicide rates in England - this is concerning news.
“I understand the difficulties around recruitment, but the constant threat and rumour mill of closure of services will not encourage people to move here and settle here to work in those services.
“The mental health hub is a welcome development but we don't know what level of positive impact this will have on inpatient admissions until it has been up and running for a period of time."
Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, said: "Mental health services in West Cumbria need to be significantly improved. I have spoken twice with the CEO of the mental health trust and I have been clear that any changes to Yewdale Ward must result in a better service for patients. I am yet to see any detailed plans which give me confidence that the proposed closure would improve services.
“Unless the trust can convince me and the community that changes will improve access to mental health services for west Cumbrians I will oppose the closure."
James Duncan, chief executive at CNTW, said: “No decisions have been made yet about changes to Yewdale Ward. Decisions will be guided by our desire to deliver the best care and support that we can, with the resources we have available.
“Our priority is to do everything we can to make services in west Cumbria better for those who need them. We need to start by recognising the quality and safety issues we face today, and the opportunity to deliver better mental health support for the communities that we serve over the coming years.
“We want to do this in collaboration with our staff, service users, carers, stakeholders and local people, to help us shape the future of mental health services in Cumbria to be the very best they can be.
“This is why we are encouraging people to visit our website to learn more about the challenges facing these services, and seek their views: https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/news/we-want-your-thoughts-on-mental-health-services-in-cumbria/.
“We’ll also be sharing details soon on that webpage about some listening events in west Cumbria and Carlisle, which we invite everyone to come along to.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here