8. Plaid Cymru Debate: Mental Health Services

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:05 pm on 4 March 2020.

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Photo of Angela Burns Angela Burns Conservative 6:05, 4 March 2020

So you're already a vulnerable person and you're put into a place that makes you even more vulnerable. A lot is made of the fact that we don't have the capacity here in Wales, and we don't, but when you're away, everybody needs family or friends, or an anchor. That anchor is so important. It is the way you find your way back to good health. If your anchor is 200 miles away or 300 miles away and you can't access that anchor easily, then it is very difficult to find your route home. So I absolutely urge the Welsh Government to have a look at this and to have a look at how we provide medium-secure units in Wales. 

Please, with your indulgence, I just want to address points (d) and (e), because a senior responsible officer is absolutely critical, Deputy Minister. One of the big problems you have is that a health board will say, 'This person needs medium-secure provision.' The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee will then go and commission it and then, between the two of them, there's no clear line of sight on that person, on their progression or on their treatment plan. And, of course, people get moved around. Every time you get moved around from place A to place B, then you are re-reviewed, re-analysed and a new treatment plan is put into place. It's very hard to make those steps going forward; it's always two steps forward, one step back. 

Finally, a communications plan. That is absolutely key, because a lot of the conflict that we see is because family and friends are not given clear communication as to what is happening, what the next steps are and what part they can play in helping that person get better. And the person in there doesn't have a clear communication plan. They immediately feel that they're at the mercy of the people in charge of them, and that, in my experience and for all the people I've seen, has been one of the biggest sources of conflict. So I'd like to see a senior responsible officer and I would like to see clear communication plans laid out with the nearest and dearest alongside the treatment plan, and of course I want to see medium-secure units here in Wales. It's ridiculous having to travel so far away for treatment that should be normal in our NHS.