HEALTH MATTERS

DR Paul Bowen, GP with McIlvride Medical Practice, Poynton, and Clinical Chair of NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) THE local NHS is nearing the end of a 12-week public consultation on proposals to redesign specialist mental health services for adults and older people experiencing severe or long-term mental ill health.

The services in question are available to a population of 480,000 people across Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal but are needed each year by only around 7,000 people – of whom 95 per cent are cared for in the community.

Service users have told us they want more personalised care, more support in the local community and one point of contact for crisis care.

They also want a choice of support in different places – for example, at home, in a drop-in centre or in a crisis bed and that they don’t want to be in hospital unless it’s absolutely necessary.

With that in mind, the purpose of the proposed redesign is to significantly improve mental health support, with a focus on early prevention and more choice. The local NHS wants to provide:

An improved community mental health service that helps people get better even faster and prevents hospital admissions.

A 24-hour crisis support service for people who are acutely unwell.

A dementia outreach service that visits people in their own homes.

An improved experience for people who need hospital care.

Since early March, the consultation partners have been seeking the public’s views on three options for change.

There have been seven public events, the last of which takes place tonight (May 23) from 6.30pm to 9pm, at Macclesfield Town FC. Why not go along to have your say?

You can also join the conversation by taking our online survey at www. easterncheshireccg.nhs. uk but don’t delay too long as the consultation closes on May 29. You can request a paper copy or easy-read version by calling 0808 169 1189.

Your views are very important and will be taken fully into account when decisions are made.

We also invite you to come forward with other ideas and solutions and we will take these into account. Any changes would be introduced gradually into 2019.