The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has revealed that almost half of its mental health inpatients may not require hospital care, highlighting ongoing challenges with out-of-area placements and unveiling new plans to address the issue.
Stewart Gee, Chief Transformational Officer at NSFT, stated that 48% of patients currently occupying hospital beds are considered by clinical teams to be inappropriately placed. This has led to more than 30 patients being treated either outside the region or in private sector facilities locally.
The trust, which has faced ongoing scrutiny, has vowed once again to end inappropriate out-of-area care. Its longstanding goal is to ensure no patient is treated away from the region unless there is a clear clinical justification, such as students residing temporarily in the area who require local treatment.
Despite previous promises to eliminate the practice, out-of-area placements remain a persistent problem. As of this week, 31 patients were classified as receiving inappropriate care away from their families and local support systems due to a lack of suitable local beds.
This situation arises when patients are unsuitable for community treatment but cannot be accommodated locally because of bed shortages.
Speaking at a recent board meeting, Mr. Gee explained, “We have a significant amount of work underway to reduce inappropriate inpatient care. Our recent bed census shows that nearly half of our inpatients could be managed in less restrictive environments, such as at home with crisis team support or in the community. At present, they are in the wrong place.”
He added that this would likely lead to quicker discharges into community settings and the repatriation of patients currently treated out of area. “Several initiatives are aligning, and in the coming months, we expect to see patients moving back into appropriate local services,” Mr. Gee said.
Caroline Donovan, Chief Executive of NSFT, clarified that out-of-area figures include patients treated in local private sector facilities. She emphasized the importance of precise language, stating, “It is not truly ‘out of area’ care but ‘out of trust’ care. These patients remain within Norfolk and Suffolk, avoiding the long-distance travel that occurs in other parts of the country.”
Donovan highlighted progress made, noting that after Christmas, the number of misplaced placements fell from over 40 to just above 20, though the figure has recently increased to just over 30.
NSFT has faced strong criticism over patient placements far from home and accusations of “broken promises” regarding plans to end the practice. The trust remains committed to resolving these issues and improving local mental health inpatient care.
