More NSFT mental health patients being sent out of area

The trust is based at Hellesdon Hospital on the outskirts of Norwich

The only mental health trust in the country in special measures has been sending more patients out of the area for treatment.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) data showed the number of days away spent by its patients nearly quadrupled between January and March.

The government has ordered the practice to stop nationally by 2021.

In its report, the trust said: "No one factor has stood out to explain the increase seen since January."

Adult out of area placement patients spent a total of 869 days in "inappropriate" beds in March 2020, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Impact on patients

It is an almost four-fold rise since January - the only time NSFT hit its target for these placements since the start of 2019.

Campaigners have spoken about the impact on patients, including the death of Peggy Copeman, 81, who died on the M11 after being sent to Somerset.

A spokesman for the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services said: "The lack of beds at NSFT remains shocking, more than six years since they promised the practice of shipping people in crisis across the country would stop, and less than a year from the deadline from NHS England for this practice to stop."

The trust was contacted for a response, but did not issue any further statement.

The Care Quality Commission placed the trust in special measures in 2015

It comes a week after a staff culture report described NSFT as "an environment characterised by bullying", with managers pledging action.

The mental health trust has been rated "inadequate" three times and is the only one in England in special measures after the step was put in place in 2015.

However, it was judged as showing improvements in January and rated "good" for its caring staff, but Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors said its special measures status should remain.