NHS to spend £40.5m on south west special needs hospital beds

The NHS is set to provide £40.5m in funding to improve acute mental health care for people with a learning disability or autism

Plans for twenty new mental health hospital beds for people with learning disabilities or autism have been revealed for the south west.

The NHS said it would invest more than £40.5m to improve acute mental health care for those whose "needs cannot be met in a mainstream mental health hospital".

The beds will be split into two 10-bed units in Dawlish in Devon, and Bristol.

Its hoped the move will bring an end to long distance placements.

Director of nursing at NHS England South West, Jill Crook, said it would "drastically" transform health services available to people with a learning disability and autistic people.

She added: "This is part of a wider programme of work, including continued improvement to community services and the new beds will not result in more people being admitted to hospital, instead only those who genuinely need to be in hospital can be, and closer to home.

"We are working hard across our systems, and importantly with people with lived experience to get this right."

NHS England South West said subject to planning permission, the facilities would be placed at the Blackberry Hill Hospital site in Bristol and at the Langdon Hospital site in Dawlish.

Tina Emery, from the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, said it would provide specialised support for those that needed it.

She said: "This is brilliant news for families and their loved ones in the south west.

"For far too long parents and carers have had to travel hours at a time, often hundreds of miles from home to visit their loved ones.

"New services in the south west will make it easier for parents and carers to visit, support and advocate for their loved ones, speeding up the process of recovery and them returning home."

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