Controversial Mental Health Unit Faces Axe

A mental health centre in Belsize Park which last year lost a case for unfair dismissal against a nurse with more than 30 years NHS experience is under threat of closure. Staff at Daleham House have been told by management that the home in Daleham Gardens will be closed in November.

The unit has been mired in controversy ever since October 2005 when nine members of staff were accused of “institutional abuse” and suspended from work. The case never reached court but the nurses did not return to work and none of them were replaced.

One of the nurses, Evangeline Atkinson, won a case for unfair dismissal case against Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust which runs Daleham House. The 59-year-old said: “We suspected that this would be the case right from the beginning in order for management to save money.

“We suspect this was their attempt at a cheap way to get rid of staff. I have been told that patient care has deteriorated since nurses left Daleham House. The nurses have lost morale and that has to impact on patient care.” Ms Atkinson is claiming £255,000 in lost income and pension from the trust. The amount will be decided next month.

The trust is racking up further legal costs preparing an appeal against the decision. Daleham House offers round-the-clock care for people with serious mental health illnesses. The trust denied the house would be sold to a developer and said only the unit is moving.

A spokeswoman said: “We would continue to use the current Daleham House site for mental health care, but the details of this are still being discussed and are subject to staff and public consultation. As part of our ongoing commitment to improve services, there have been discussions about potential change to the services currently provided by Daleham House. Possible options include services moving from Daleham House and the provision of different mental health services from the site.”

Meanwhile Rosa Trivinio, ano-ther former Daleham House nurse who lost her job, has written to Glenda Jackson MP for support. Her original case for unfair dismissal failed because she lodged papers more than six months after she was sacked.

In a letter to the Hampstead and Highgate MP Ms Trivinio, who suffered a heart attack while she was preparing the case, said: “Managers have acted above and beyond the law. They should be thoroughly investigated and, if necessary, disciplined, removed and punished for the injustices, bullying, intimidation and harassment that myself and my colleagues have suffered.

“We suspected right from the very outset why these injustices were brought upon us was because the management had planned to close down the mental health unit to save funds.”