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London mental health trust is falling down
February 16, 2004 2:18 PM
News that South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust is to receive a £30 million bail out to help it cover maintenance costs needed simply to make it "operationally safe" raises more questions, says Paul Burstow MP. According to new statistics released to the MP for Sutton and Cheam, the Trust would still require a further £43 million pounds worth of repairs to bring it up to standard.
These figures reveal that maintenance costs for local Mental Health Trust are the highest in the country by far, even after the massive bail out.
The cost simply to meet basic health and safety regulations stands at over £500,000, while the cost for repairs to reach fire safety compliance is nearly £1m.
The Sutton and Cheam MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Paul Burstow said:
"Mental health trusts have been so cash-strapped for so long that many buildings are in a very sorry state, and getting worse. This has serious implications for the safety of patients and staff.
"Mental health patients need to be reassured that they are being treated in a Health Service fit for the 21st century. At the moment the chronic under investment means in too many cases it is not even fit for the 20th century.
"Questions have to be asked how it was possible for South West London and St Georges' Mental Health Trust to accumulate such a large backlog. A backlog which is significantly larger than any other Trust even after to £30 million bail out. And even that is spread over five years!"
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