Chloe Smith on CQC inadequate mental health rating

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, today reacted to the CQC's inspection report into the "inadequate" Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, which is headquartered in her constituency:

 

"Obviously this report is deeply concerning. My priority as a local MP is to support the Trust, its hardworking staff and all those who need better mental health care.

 

"I will continue to speak in Parliament in support of Norfolk patients who need better mental health care. There should be equal funding between mental and physical health, and from this April the government has improved the local Trust's budget.

 

"However, the two areas rated inadequate in this report are not about money, but are about leadership and the safety of care. 

 

"The Trust management has set out how it plans to improve and it must continue to work to gain the confidence of staff and provide better care to the most vulnerable."

 

Inspectors found the trust needed to make a number of improvements to ensure it was consistently delivering care which was safe, effective, responsive to people’s needs, in services which were well led.  

The trust was rated as Inadequate with regard to whether services were safe and well-led, Requires Improvement with regard to whether services were effective and responsive and Good with regards to whether services were caring. Its overall rating was Inadequate.  The concerns and the recommendation have been referred to Monitor.