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FIGHT is on to block plans to axe either mental health or dementia inpatient service. The Trust in charge says they can’t afford to keep the Millbrook Unit running and patients will have to choose which service to keep (website, November 30) Graham Trevena: Of course we back the campaign, Macc Express, but don’t you understand you’ve been publishing stories for years of people repetitively stealing meat and other grocery products that many of us realise are people with not only drug problems but mental health problems? Jason Dunkley: Spend more money on addiction recovery! Probably cut down on crime and anti social behaviour. Win Win. Stephen Conroy: Such a nanny state when you’re wasting money on druggies and expecting taxpayers to pay for their rehab. Rose Skellington: It is only worth saving the services if they actually work! As a long term patient I can tell you now that the current services DO NOT work and are just handing out random sticking plasters as and when they can - staff end up on sick leave because they can’t handle the stress levels and there are not enough of them to do the job properly, so at the moment both staff and patients are more at risk, and I bet that if you look up the number of people that actually committed suicide because of mental health issues, the statistics will have increased year after year. It would make more sense to campaign for better mental health services all round, not just to save something that is already on its last legs and failing both staff and patients. Christopher Ratcliffe: You are quite right of course, Rose. If we lose inpatient care in Macclesfield we will never get it back. There is a bigger and wider campaign needed to get a service that is fit for purpose that is so needed. Michael Trafford: I have to reply to the ‘official’ comments from the NHS in this week’s Macclesfield Express article. They state that their aim is to focus on developing community services to prevent people reaching crisis point and needing hospital in-patient care in the first place, through providing care and support closer to home ‘where possible!’ These last two words tell us everything we need to know! Yes, the principle is applaudable as most of us would prefer not to have to go into hospital. However, the proposals being put forward don’t actually reflect this. The options recognise there will still be a need for in-patient beds BUT the vast majority of those people in East Cheshire who need admission to a mental health unit will have to travel to Chester for it! How is that ‘closer to home?’ Well, I suppose the ‘where possible’ bit covers that! If they really thought they could reduce the need so dramatically that it could be managed with just 6 crisis beds then the obvious question is ‘why aren’t they proposing to do this in Chester as well and close the Bowmere Unit too?’ I’ll tell you why – because they know they can’t do it! This is purely about money and nothing to do with improving treatment and care for people with mental health problems! So, come on CWP and CCG – stop issuing these poorly thought through statements and excuses for what you are planning! The people of East Cheshire deserve better. See sense please and scrap these plans before you do irreparable damage to our already fragile local mental health services. Pauline Girdwood: You cannot close mental health services if there are no services to take their place in the community. This is the attitude that has persisted since Thatcher, who closed all the hospitals with no other services in place. When are the Tories going to stop targeting the vulnerable? They do this, of course, because the vulnerable have no voice and are an easy target. The whole thing is a disgrace! Michael Trafford: CWP’s reason for closing Millbrook is the cost to upgrade it to meet the CQC’s requirements. I’ve had a quick look through the latest CQC report and the only criticism I can see is the failure to meet the mixed sex requirements.
So is there another way ....let me think ....there are two adult acute wards - Adelphi and Bollin (Croft ward is for people with dementia) and two sexes - women and men - it doesn’t take a genius to work this out does it - have one ward for women only and one for men only!
Tadaa - solved and no cost implication! Now why couldn’t they think of that? Wendy Brown: Wouldn’t bother !! .. Hollins View couldn’t be saved or the school buses... Liz Regan: Save them? They’ve already gone. I travel to Liverpool to see a consultant now, it’s ridiculous.
ALSATIAN with Dwarfism is a mini sensation. Macclesfield’s Olly was found dumped in a bin on Christmas Eve (December 7) Rebecca JacksonWharton: This is the cutie we’ve seen in Macc xx Chloe Jackson: Aww yeah! I thought he was a German shepherd crossed with a Corgi xx So cute! Vicky Griffiths: I saw him the other week in Macc - great to see he’s a celebrity now! Km Newest: We’ve seen this little dude. Wendy McGinnis: Aww yes seen him around town and he adores his owner x Never takes his eyes off him and he loves a fuss x Beauty. Nessa Cash: This is the cutest dog and loves a fuss. Kenny Barlow: Richard Taylor we seen this before haha Anita Raine: Awww .. lovely Elizabeth Bartholomew: No way we seen him today?
MOTHER to celebrate what would have been her daughter’s 18th birthday. Ashleigh Bowes was 14 when she took her own life, in 2014 (December 7) Marie Thompson: Not enough help for teenagers and professionals are too slow. Kay Hulme: Will be thinking of you Friday, Sue. Rachael Ward: How lovely but also very sad that a beautiful young girl gone too soon. Thinking of you all and happy 18th birthday beautiful angel. Maureen Hewitt: Will be thinking of you xxx Annabel Clarkson: Beautiful soul. Massive loss of a gorgeous girlie x
GAS leak at town centre property causing delays for Macclesfield drivers. Temporary traffic tights set up on Park Street after the leak was detected in a cellar (website, December 6) June Ross: Was 10 mins late for docs appointment. Jean Bedson: It was manic this morning. Judy Goldrick: I agree was awful. Jason Jackson: Traffic management done a top job with the cones. Derek Machin: Too late, the town is gridlocked. Laura Beech: This is why there was roadworks on our way home last night xx Zoe Shephard: That’s what’s causing the traffic problem. Juliette Palmer: Traffic was chaos but did see it on BBC breakfast news. Sam Pearson: This is what was going on last night! Inez Robert: Take another route to work. Jenni Hartley: Got caught in this last night back from work! Mubina Heppell: All makes sense now!
JODRELL Bank to receive £4m government funds. The money will go towards a new educational project at the Macclesfield site (website, November 30) Heike Chapman: Nobody wants to live on Mars or elsewhere in the universe, so put a stop to this whole astronomical nonsense! £4m could have come a long way for our local mental health and social care units. Frank Fisher: Speak for yourself. I’d like to live on Mars. Heike Chapman: Frank Fisher Well, I wish you all the best. Frank Fisher: Every year more money is spent on the NHS and mental health - yes, even this year. But every year the nation’s health gets worse. At what point do people say, this model isn’t working? I’d far rather my taxes funded Jodrell Bank than the bottomless pit that is the NHS. Eric Waite: No surprise, just shows how they waste our money when we have vital services being axed in the NHS. James Barber: Good news for Jodrell Bank but no money for the Millbrook Unit which now faces closure...