East Sussex mental health service could go (From The Argus)

East Sussex mental health service could go

2:00pm Tuesday 28th April 2009 in News By Emily Walker, Chief Reporter

Mental health patients could be stripped of a vital service that one patient says saved him from suicide.

Ralph Hughes, 65, is one of around 30 patients suffering from mental illness and learning difficulties who work at the New Road Nursery in Hailsham.

For Mr Hughes growing the plants, serving customers and getting back to nature is the best treatment, but he fears that if funding for the service stops then patients will have no alternative to being locked up in wards.

The day service run by Sussex Partnership NHS Trust is funded by East Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust (PCT). Under a planned overhaul of mental health services across the county the nursery could lose its funding.

“People here are actually working, rather than sitting in rooms,” said Mr Hughes, who has been working at the nursery for around 10 years.

“If it hadn't been for this place I wouldn't be here. I would have committed suicide.

“This is a place you can enjoy going to.

“If I was just sitting at home I would be thinking about taking tablets.

“Just to come down for two or three hours and get out of the homes can make a real difference.

“We're doing something useful.

“My wife thinks this is the best place they could have put me and has supported me throughout.

“A lot of people would have left me, but we've been married 42 years and have three grown up kids and two grandchildren .

“I've got everything to look forward for, but sometimes that didn't mean a thing.

“I see people at the nursery and this is all they've got.”

A spokesman for the PCT said: “In conjunction with East Sussex Adult Social Care we are re-organising mental health day services across the county so that they offer local people much improved care and support which focuses on recovery, inclusion and a return to employment.

“Under the new set up we will no longer commission day services at New Road Nurseries as we consider that it does not fit in with the new look services we plan to offer.

“However, we feel that the nursery could have a long term future as a social enterprise, with the potential for commercial activities at the site to support and develop the services it presently provides.

“We are in continuing discussions about this with the Sussex Partnership Foundation NHS Trust who own New Road Nurseries, and have recommended that they take this forward as quickly as possible.

“We appreciate that change can create worry, but would like to reassure all services users that we are working hard to ensure their needs are fully met and that they can continue to use the nurseries in the future.”