MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED PROPERLY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 25th Jul 2008

Cllr Geoff Heathcock

Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats have expressed their deep anxiety at news that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust has only been awarded a FAIR marking out of four possible, after a widespread review in 2007.

Health Spokesman Cllr Geoffrey Heathcock said:

"I am frankly appalled that those who suffer this awful illness are only receiving a fair level of service from the Trust. This is simply not good enough compared with our next door neighbours in Suffolk, rated GOOD. I recognise that many staff are working hard to deliver a good service often in difficult circumstances"

"It is absolutely clear that past and ongoing spending decisions will not have helped this Service, it requires and deserves a very much higher profile of importance both within the Trust but also the PCT in determining future service quality.

"It is not tolerable for the ill of Cambridgeshire to have to accept this quality of service provision. We will be monitoring progress to driving it up."

ENDS