Issue - items at meetings - Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust: Update

Update on planned activities at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. To be presented by Dr Richard Ford, Executive Director of Commercial Development, Dr Mandy Assin, Clinical Director, and Sam Allen, Service Director, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (copy attached)

11.1    This item was introduced by Dr Richard Ford, Executive Director of Commercial Development, and Dr Mandy Assin, Clinical Director, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Dr Ford and Dr Assin briefed the committee on developments at the Trust, including the renovation of Mill View hospital, the ‘Under One Roof’ initiative and improved services for people with dementia.

11.2    Dr Assin told members that a priority with regard to dementia was achieving better early diagnosis, so that people could be effectively supported in the early stages of illness. Appropriate support at this stage can help people with dementia and their families live high quality lives. Cllr Turton told members that there was an excellent and easy to use toolkit for identifying possible dementia available on the Alzheimer’s Society website.

11.3    In answer to a question from Mr Hazelgrove on waiting times for non-urgent treatment, Dr Ford told the committee that this issue did need to be addressed, and that he trusted the ongoing re-design of ‘access’ services would be successful in reducing waits. However, waiting times for non-urgent mental health services are still considerably lower than waits for physical services.

11.4    In response to a query from the Chair on Mill View beds, Dr Ford told members that long term scenarios included moving the recently established ‘vulnerable’ ward from the Nevill hospital into Mill View at some point in the future. However, Dr Ford assured members that this would not be contemplated until improvements in community-based services had reduced the demand on acute beds at the Mill View/Nevill sites to a degree which would justify a reduction in bed numbers.

11.5    The Chair thanked Dr Ford and Dr Assin for their contributions.