The mental health trust serving Brighton and Hove has declared a crisis.
A shortage of beds has led to NHS patients being sent to private providers by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust.
From Friday (30 January) Sussex Partnership bosses were meeting daily in Hove to manage the current crisis.
One insider said: “It’s the mental health Trust equivalent of declaring a major incident.”
The trust’s four divisions were operating with a “gold commander” from Aldrington House, in New Church Road, Hove, after Sussex Partnership moved to “business continuity status”.
The trust spoke about “urgent acute bed pressures” in an email to its Leadership Forum at the end of last week.
It said that more than 20 patients across Sussex were being treated privately at NHS expense – and that this was financially unsustainable.
The email – from managing director Lorraine Reid, clinical director Shakil Malik and medical director Tim Ojo – said: “Dear Colleagues, As you will no doubt be aware the trust is currently experiencing significant sustained pressures on our acute services across all of Sussex, with a current total of over 20 ECR (extra contractual referral) beds, with patients being placed in private sector beds across the country.
“These arrangements clearly impact on our patients and their carers by being away from family, friends, their care team and local services.
“There is also a financial impact on the trust which is unsustainable.
“The decision has been taken to move to a formal business continuity status, which came into action yesterday (Thursday 29 January).
“Business continuity means that we galvanise all resources within adult services to ensure that our priority is maintaining safe and secure services by returning all patients to be treated within our services.
“To support this work, all four divisions will operate a gold command process whereby the service director will lead, co-ordinate and support the delivery of all actions necessary to return services to business as usual.
“Actions across the trust will be co-ordinated from a central point in adult services at Aldrington House.
“A business continuity plan will be in place today that will detail all actions and a daily communication call will take place across the four divisions.
“We are sure that you are fully aware of the gravity of the situation and we know that we can all work together to harness the support and activity to help improve the situation and reduce the pressure placed on our acute beds.
Although this is probably not the result of all drug related mental health issues I would think the majority are.I told my Brother 20 years ago that in the not to distant future there would be a huge problem with Drugs and Alcohol bringing about Mental Health Issues so why haven’t the so called experts seen this coming?