Mental health services change as demand expected to grow

Health chiefs revealed yesterday that the overhaul is to be enforced in the city in an attempt to allow patients to receive care in their own homes while alleviating the intense pressure on budgets.

The move, which is expected to be introduced from the autumn, comes amid predictions of a massive leap in demand for mental health services for the elderly across North Yorkshire.

York Council alone is planning for a 77 per cent rise in the number of people aged 85 and over in the next 20 years and a 36 per cent increase in elderly people with dementia in the next decade.

North Yorkshire and York Community and Mental Health Service's associate director for mental health, John Clare, said: "Services for older people are much different today than they were 20 years ago. Back then the emphasis was on in-patient care. However the modern approach to older people's mental health looks to ensure services are provided as close to a person's home as possible.

"We are therefore proposing that from around October 2010 more older people with a range of problems will be able to receive the care they need in both improved in patient services and within day care."

The shake-up will see existing in-patients from Cherry Tree House Community Unit for the Elderly transferred to existing vacancies across other in-patient facilities.

Health chiefs stressed that every effort would be made to ensure the least disruption to patients. They said discussions would be held with relatives to ensure the move went as smoothly as possible.

Cherry Tree House will expand to provide a day hospital service for patients on three days each week.

Staff will work within the day hospital or move across the other sites to enhance the level of service provided for older people.

By filling vacant staff posts, a reliance on bank and agency staff will be reduced, reducing spending on additional workers.

Day Care at Cherry Tree House would as a result be extended by two days a week and would enable day patients to move from Peppermill Court Challenging Behaviour Unit.