The NHS in Sussex has announced that a programme to significantly improve mental health inpatient services in West Sussex for adults, older people and those living with dementia has been fully implemented.
Costing around £10 million, the programme was undertaken in partnership between NHS Sussex and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT).
The completed improvements have created a Centre of Excellence for dementia care, called Forget Me Not, in Worthing which will bring together all SPFT’s dementia beds in West Sussex under one roof. The Centre officially opens October, which will mark the completion of the improvement programme.
The programme also means that people needing care are now able to receive support in more modern wards in Crawley and Worthing, a change from three old and poor quality wards in Chichester and Horsham.
Dr Amy Dissanayake, Medical Director for West Sussex at NHS Sussex, said: “We are delighted to announce that our plans for mental health inpatient services in West Sussex have now been fully implemented.
“This means that people with serious mental health problems and dementia will be looked after in modern and safe environments, which preserve their privacy and dignity, while they continue to receive the high quality care they deserve.”
Simone Button, Senior Responsible Officer for SPFT, added: “The plans for our inpatient services gave us a unique opportunity to establish a Centre of Excellence for Dementia – a move widely supported by many people in the communities we serve.
“The Centre will mean we can better understand the individual needs of the patients and, working with their families, maximise their wellbeing and quality of life, providing care to minimise any distress and improve outcomes.”
Improvement proposals were first developed during 2018. Following a public consultation, the original proposals were reviewed in light of responses received from hundreds of people, including service users, carers, families, representative groups, charities and politicians.
Final proposals were finally approved in October 2020 after the programme was suspended briefly because of COVID-19 priorities.