Liberal Democrat Councillors at a meeting of Manchester City Council's Executive committee today called on the Council to bring in expert support from the Improvement & Development Agency (IdeA) to ensure the Council fulfils its responsibilities in the provision of mental health services in Manchester.
Manchester's mental health services are the 3rd worst in the country, according to the Healthcare Commission. The Boyington Report suggests a way forward and highlights problem areas. The report says that the lack of leadership with quality and consistency is a major reason for the failure of the last 8 years to deliver integrated social care and mental health services. The most recent Chief Executive of the Mental Health and Social Care Trust has resigned and the report identifies 2 other senior management posts, which remain vacant.
Whilst most focus is on the Mental Health Trust as the main service deliverer, the City Council and the Primary Care Trust are also responsible for the failure because they are the principle commissioners. The Boyington Report is very critical of their failure to audit performance and ensure that the millions of pounds they are spending are improving the service for people in Manchester.
Lib Dem Councillor John Grant spoke out at the Executive Committee, saying:
"The Council needs to accept some responsibility for the failure. Social Care from the Council is not yet valued enough or fully integrated in mental health services. As the Council is one of the principle commissioners, I am asking what have they been buying and how have they been checking they are improving the service with the money that they are spending? I am not confident that the council's Executive, after 8 years of failure, can turn this around without help and have recommended that additional consultant support is brought in from IdeA to ensure the Council fulfils its responsibilities. This is the least the people of Manchester deserve."
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