Staffordshire health bosses to send mental health service proposals to NHS England after George Bryan Centre fire
South Staffordshire will not be getting a replacement mental health facility after part of the George Bryan Centre burnt down in 2019.
The George Bryan Centre, in Tamworth, provided 31 for adults living in South and East Staffordshire before the blaze destroyed a wing with 19 beds.
Since the fire alternative in-patient provision has been provided at St George’s Hospital in Stafford while there has been a significantly enhanced service provided to people living in their own homes.
Today (Thursday) Staffordshire NHS bosses decided not to replace GBC but continue with care in Stafford and in the community.
Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, Chief Medical Officer for the Staffordshire Integrated Care Board said: "This isn’t a final decision we’ve made today but we have considered the matter and decided that it should now move to the NHS England assurance process.
"The case put to us was that the proposal would be better for patients as it’s now recognised treating patients with mental health needs in the community is preferable to inpatient hospital stays in all but the most serious cases. Enhanced services are now being provided in the community with more improvements planned."
He added: "St George’s is also a much larger facility than the George Bryan Centre was, with more scope to care for patients with a broader range of needs and with staff that have a greater range of specialisms.
"Importantly we were shown it will be better for the recruitment and retention of specialist mental health staff who are in short supply nationally and who need to be deployed in the most effective way."
Due to the distance between South Staffordshire and Stafford a plan will need to be put in place concerning travel arrangements for those suffering with mental health problems.
Dr Edmondson-Jones said: "We have been given assurance that issues relating to travel are being examined so that people will have support to travel to Stafford if necessary."
The means proposals will now be considered by NHS England’s assurance process in September.
Following the NHS England assurance process, the decision making will revert to the ICB to decide whether any further engagement is required with the public and stakeholders.
An independent report into the MPFT business case by the West Midlands Clinical Senate will be published shortly.
