Ref New Foundation Hospitals

We need a more public debate on this issue.Mr Blair has hijacked popular support for nurses to obscure the reality of these moves.For a number of years Nurses leaders and organisations have been incorporated into the system.The result falling patient care and demoralisation.We need to support those members of Parliament opposed to these new foundation hospitals.But we need to do things to help ourselves. In reality services are been cut and in some cases not replaced.In others they appear to be a mixture of give aways and privatisation by another name

We need scrutiny of these bodies which we have not seen to date.For example some 50 chief executives refused to give details of their payment to the Public Accounts Committe.Hospital enquiry after hospital enquiry has followed and we have no proper complaints system.We have a national health service in name only and these new reforms will make the system even worse.We need to encourage a degree of public action .In Southampton local MP Mr John Denham has supported them and supported a new interventions over mental health services.

Its my belief that Mr Denham may better intervene in prejudices over mental health services and better use of resouces.My understanding of the matter is the governments strategy is wrong. Changes in the law and payments to legal services mean that many people fail to be represented in mental health law.Under representation of those in the community or sectioned is already a major issue.

Further the move towards foundation trusts undermines any previous work between local authorities and health bodies.Problems with elderly care funding are well documented but there is little work on elderly people with learning disabilities or mental health problems.The government white paper on Learning Disabilities was the first in 30 years and proposed closure of all learning disability hospitals with time scale of 5 years is reckless.

Grove House for example is less than 30 years old.Accommodation that could easily be converted for multiple uses for example nurses accommodation or isolation purposes.In its day it was an advanced social experiment and few areas outside Wessex are so advanced.There are also difficult and dangerous patients that may need more secure facilities.

Recruitment and training of staff is all ready difficult.The local daily Southampton Echo has already reported a staff shortage of 60 for the Mental Health Service. Providing community services is more difficult and complex. Its my belief that under the guise of providing services that in reality they are been cut. More help might be better extended to carers or those providing help at home.Reenforced by holiday or respite care.