An out of area placement is defined when someone with acute mental health needs who requires acute inpatient care is admitted to a unit that does not form part of their usual local community mental health service, and where the person cannot be visited regularly by their care co-ordinator to ensure continuity of care and effective discharge planning.
Patients in Hertfordshire admitted with acute mental health concerns have been treated as far away as Durham and Bury, according to new data.
The figures also revealed that the responsible NHS Trust in Hertfordshire has spent more than £2.5million on inappropriate placements for people needing mental health treatment.
The figures, published on August 12, revealed how many organisations had active ‘out of area placements’ in May 2021 in relation to acute mental health treatment.
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust said they have placed the patients with acute mental health concerns “because a suitable bed has not been available for them closer to home”.
The data has been published every month for five years after the Government committed to eliminate ‘inappropriate’ out of area placements by 2020-2021.
However, the figures reveal that the trust responsible for mental health services in Hertfordshire has spent more than £2.5million on around 140 inappropriate placements in the first six months of 2021.
The newly released information also includes which trust or operator received patients from the Hertfordshire trust. It reveals that in May patients were treated in County Durham, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.
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Source: Hemel Today, 24th August 2021
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