News of mental health service cuts 'distressing'

Amy Edwards (left) told councillors Stoke-on-Trent "would’ve had a mental health crisis on its hands"

The announcement that some mental health services would close due to uncertainty over funding was “extremely distressing,” a woman who used the services has said.

Brighter Futures announced it would close the Safe Space, the Clubhouse Network and the Mental Health Helpline from the end of June.

It happened after the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) told Brighter Futures it would start an initial three month review of its grants.

An ICB boss apologised for the way the situation was handled, telling councillors "this shouldn’t have happened."

A new service is now being run by Changes, Mind and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust.

Service user Amy Edwards told a special Stoke-on-Trent City Council meeting on Tuesday: “If these services hadn’t been picked up, I think the city would’ve had a mental health crisis on its hands.”

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Edwards said news of the cuts was “extremely distressing and traumatic” for service users.

She said: “For some people, that was their only support. The uncertainty about where we were going to go and having to put trust in other people is a lot to do.

“Some people were experiencing suicidal thoughts and self-harming.

“Giving someone three weeks to put their trust in another organisation isn’t possible."

Clubhouse Network, Safer Space and helpline users were previously told that the services would no longer be available

The chief executive of Brighter Futures, Maxine Bradbourn, said there had been a “complete breakdown of communication” with the ICB.

The ICB said it never indicated that funding would be withdrawn.

Ms Bradbourn said there was no “information or clarity” from the ICB during the review process.

She said: “When we received a letter at the end of March from the ICB giving us the option to cease immediately or continue until June, that was a serious risk.

“The very last thing we want to do is to impact anybody.

“However, we don’t have the finances to take any organisation beyond the contract period.

“This isn’t about blame, it is about making sure this never happens again."

Tracey Shewan, director of corporate governance at the ICB, said: “First of all I’m going to say sorry, because this shouldn’t have happened.

“I think there’s a recognition that communication wasn’t what it should have been.

“But there were more people than just Brighter Futures involved in this review. We have written to all of them, and we’re going through a staged process. There’s not been any intent to say services were stopping.”