South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) Quality Accounts 2015/16 Response from local Healthwatch

Healthwatch Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark made a joint response to review the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust's  (SLaM) Quality Accounts for 2015/16. It drew on feedback received from local residents, patients and carers across the five boroughs. 

The report broadly supported the Trust’s proposed quality priorities, particularly those relating to reducing the use of restraint, improving staffing levels, strengthening risk assessments, improving physical healthcare for mental health patients and increasing patient involvement in care planning. Healthwatch highlighted concerns that had previously been raised about patients feeling unsafe on wards, staff shortages affecting activity and leave opportunities, poor communication with carers, and the need for more personalised care planning that reflects cultural needs and individual preferences. 

A number of ongoing concerns were identified. These included inconsistent communication with carers, poor support around discharge, difficulties accessing services during a mental health crisis, inequalities in patient experiences, problems relating to patients’ rights under the Mental Health Act, stigma around mental health, delays in accessing support and challenges during the transition from children's to adult mental health services. Healthwatch also raised concerns about staff wellbeing, incidents resulting in serious harm, and the need for greater focus on engagement, therapy and meaningful activities for patients. 

The report concluded that while progress had been made in several areas, improvements were often slower than expected and some priorities needed to be carried forward. Healthwatch called for more ambitious targets, better use of patient and carer feedback, stronger support for equality and diversity, improved discharge planning, greater involvement of carers and service users, and continued efforts to improve safety, staffing, access and patient experience across mental health services.