As identified through the meetings attended by Derbyshire Voice Service Receiver Representatives.

 

·      Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (Psychodynamic therapies focus on revealing and resolving unconscious conflicts that are driving unwanted symptoms) services are being reviewed by the Primary Care Trust (PCT).  We are concerned about some parts of the consultation and are working to resolve these concerns and provide meaningful involvement for service receivers.

We have worked closely with the PCT in resolving the issues identified during the consultation process and we will be producing a report that looks at any points that can be improved for future consultation events.

 

·      We are concerned that psychodynamic Psychotherapy service will be significantly reduced after the consultation period, ending 31st October 2011. This would be against the views of all of the service receivers that we have consulted with so far.

We are awaiting the results of the consultation period and will keep people informed through our website and magazine.

 

·      It was said at the recent Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (DHCFT) Annual General Meeting that regardless of the outcome from the consultation into Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, that DHCFT will not be providing this service even if the PCT wishes to pay for it, therefore another provider would need to be found, this could result in a difficult transition period for any patients.

It has been difficult to get to the bottom of this but the decisions to be made after the consultation period will clarify this situation.

 

·      We have received conflicting information about the way Derbyshire Health Care Foundation Trust (DHCFT) appropriately supported Muslim service receivers through the recent period of Ramadan (the Islamic month of fasting in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality and humility) whilst on the Psychiatric Units.

We are working closely with DHCFT and other partners to improve on the recent practice, this will hopefully improve the experience of all individuals.

 

·      Once again we are hearing concerns form inpatients that the ‘named nurse’ system isn’t working well, some patients say they often don’t know who their ‘named nurse’ is, that there isn’t a deputy if the named nurse is not on shift and they don’t have enough time with them.

We are continuing to raise this at a variety of meetings with DHCFT.

 

·      We are receiving reports that some individuals in the County still don’t have a named Care Coordinator since the Approved Social Workers were moved back to working from the County Council base (April 2011) rather than being integrated into the Community Mental Health Teams.

We have raised this issue and have been reassured that this is now resolved. 

 

·      Communication seems to be an issue of concern across various pieces of work with DHCFT at the moment.

We are attempting to work with DHCFT on this generic issue.

 

·      We are hearing about a variety of unfilled posts within DHCFT, particularly within the Occupational Therapy Department, if this is part of the overall strategy for efficiency saving they are making, we are concerned that this doesn’t impact negatively on the capacity of this department and therefore the service provided to patients.

We have had a response but still feel that further explanation of this matter is needed and Reps are pursuing this through various meetings.

 

·      The changes to the NHS will include GP’s surgeries setting up PPG’s (Patient Participation Groups) as a way of informing the future commissioners (buyers of public services) of the needs of the patients of Derbyshire.  After conducting a small survey we are concerned that many GP surgeries aren’t yet providing these groups and that mental health may not be adequately represented at those that are set up.

Many Reps and workers at Derbyshire Voice are attending their own PPG’s in an attempt to understand how they work.

 

·      DHCFT are starting a new texting service to patients to remind them of their outpatient appointments and we welcome this additional support.

We look forward to hearing more about the results of this new initiative.