Suffolk Mental Health Overhaul Proposed

Funding for day centres and other mental health services in Suffolk could change when contracts are renewed next year.

Suffolk county council has begun a consultation on its £2.1 billion mental health expenditure in order to see where it should be allocated.

The Bury Free Press suggested that services dealing with advocacy, community support and employment could be affected in addition to day centres, information and advice centres and carer support organisations.

The consultation suggests the money could be paid directly to patients instead of to providers, as the government seeks to put emphasis on people buying their own care.

Andrew Bass, mental health projects manager at Suffolk Family Carers, tol the newspaper: “As we’ve seen an increase in care in the community, we have people far more unwell than they were three years ago who are not getting into hospital – that puts more pressure on family carers.”

Suffolk is also reviewing its provision of special needs education, according to the Norfolk Eastern Daily Press.