Mental health services prepare for escalating demand in Blackpool

Caroline Donovan, chief executive of Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, said demand generated from lockdown was something “we particularly expect to see in the children and young people’s service, and expect to see up to a 70 per cent increase as that has been suppressed so much”.

She told a meeting of Blackpool Council’s adult social care and health scrutiny committee Covid had initially suppressed demand but it had risen since August.

Coun Michele Scott said she expected demand for mental health services “to increase as we have now gone into a tier three lockdown within our area, and people’s jobs are being put at risk again”.

The meeting heard recent investment includes £660,000 into a dedicated mental health unit adjacent to A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital due to be completed early next year.

A £368,000 cash injection into a mental health liaison team in June 2019 had also helped reduce waiting times for patients when they arrive at A&E, with 80 per cent of people now seen within the hour compared to just 20 per cent in January 2019.

Other developments include a £450,000 Crisis Cafe set to open in January, while a further 11 rehabilitation beds are now available in Preston, with plans in place for a new 28-bed unit in Wesham.

Ms Donovan said: “During Covid we have had the highest demand across the county that we have ever had at the Trust.

“In spite of that we have managed sustained improvement.”

Other initiatives includes investment in home treatment teams, which provide 24-hour support enabling people to avoid admission to hospital, or to be discharged sooner.

A report updating the committee also said staff were liaising more closely with the police to tackle incidents of drug and alcohol misuse on wards at The Harbour mental health hospital in Marton.

So far this year nine incidents have been reported, compared to 38 in 2018.

The report said in “the majority of cases, patients are consuming illicit substances during leave from the ward”.

Strategies to tackle this include more security to ensure visitors are not trafficking illegal substances to patients, regular room and ward searches, and daily police visits.

A steering group has also been set up to work with family members.

New clinical practices, improved observation and specialist nurses are also being used to better manage potentially violent patients.