Mental health patients treated too far from home

SENDING mental health patients hundreds of miles away for treatment is “inhumane”, the Royal College of Psychiatrists has said.

A failure to stop so-called out-of-area placements has been called “a scandal” by the college. It said the approach is costing the NHS millions of pounds a year, which could be better spent.

A report in 2016 from the independent Mental Health Taskforce to the NHS in England stated that by 2020/21, outof-area placements would essentially be eliminated for acute mental health care for adults.

It said being far from home, without visits from family or friends, can leave patients feeling isolated and emotionally distressed, with long-lasting consequences for their mental health.

The college said the health service spent £102million on inappropriate out-of-area placements last year. A lack of properly staffed beds or alternative specialist intensive provision locally are contributing factors, the college added.

Dr Adrian James, college president, said: “The failure to eliminate inappropriate out-of-area placements is a scandal. It is inhumane and is costing the NHS millions of pounds each year that could be spent helping patients get better.

“No one with a mental illness should have to travel hundreds of miles away from home to get the treatment they desperately need.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Everyone should have access to safe, appropriate mental health care and we recognise the impact that receiving care far away from loved ones can have.

“That’s why we are investing an extra £2.3billion per year to transform NHS mental health services by 2024, meaning more people will be able to receive care as close to home as possible.”