News| Mental hospital


downsmail.co.uk


Schools nowin doubt amid fears over hospital for thementally ill


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THE future of two new schools has been cast into doubt after it emerged mentally-ill crimi- nalswill be treated at a facility on the same site.


A hospital at the Kent Medical


Campus (KMC) will have 16 of its 65 beds allocated to men held under the Mental Health Act and 17 forwomenwith borderline per- sonality disorders or who self- harm. Some of the male patients will


have a “forensic history”which the NHS defines as linked to criminal behaviour. Community leaders, including


the local vicar, MP and borough councillor, have expressed grave reservations at having the mental hospital so close to local communi- ties in Bearsted, Thurnham and Grove Green. MP Helen Whately, who has


fought to secure funding for a much-needed primary school and a special needs school on the KMC site, admits the project is in doubt unless the facility’s use is changed. The mental hospital will be run


by the private firm Cygnet Health Care Limited, which runs several institutions around the country. The group’s facility,CygnetHos-


pital Godden Green, in Sevenoaks, was recently fined £20,000 for fail- ing to meet “fundamental stan- dards”. The company paid up rather


than face prosecution by the gov- ernmentwatchdog, the Care Qual- ity Commission (CQC). But earlier CQC reportsmake worrying read- ing. Cllr Denis Spooner, the borough


councillor for Bearsted, said: “What I amhearing on the rumour mill is that this is to be a facility to house the criminally insane, mur- derers, rapists and paedophiles. “I have no idea if the rumours


have foundation or not. But as someone who sits on the planning committee I can say that a pre-sub- mission meeting was arranged on this scheme for February but was cancelled. I think we need some clarity. “These places should surely be


sited in remote locations, so having an institution in such close proxim- ity to housing is absolutely awful – and right next to two schools does- n’t bear thinking about.” MP Helen Whately, who has


called a meeting of the relevant agencies, said: “I’m concerned there is nowan issuewith this site. We either find a way to restrict the use of thismental health unit orwe have got to find a new site for the schools.” Rev John Corbyn, vicar theHoly


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Under construction: Amental hospital, where 33 of its 65 beds will be used bymen held under theMental Health Act and womemwith borderline per- sonality disorders or who self-harm


Cross Church in Bearsted, said: “There must be due regard to where these places are sited. It seems to be so close to existing houses and to two proposed schools,which does seeminappro- priate.” A spokesman for Cygnet Health


CareLtd said: “The hospital has been developed in full collabora- tion with local and regional NHS Commissioners and partnerships. “The hospital is built to low se-


cure standards… the hospital is likely to operate a mix of mental health low secure and rehabilita- tion services. “Cygnet has been providing high


quality mental healthcare facilities for nearly 30 years. At these facili- ties, we provide compassionate care pathways to deliver the best long-term outcomes for our pa- tients so they canmove to a less re- strictive care setting or return home. “Our highly experienced, dedi-


MP HelenWhately Cllr Denis Spooner Rev John Corbyn


cated team of professionals carry out regular safety and risk assess- ments on patients. Theirwell-being and the communities inwhich they are located is our top priority.”


Cygnet fined £20,000 for care failures


CYGNET Health Care Limited’s Godden Green hospital near Sevenoaks was fined £20,000 in January for “failing to meet fun- damental standards”.Cygnet paid the penalty as an alternative to prosecution. “Urgent responsive” inspec-


tions were carried out on Novem- ber 2 and 3 last year, over concerns about incidents “affecting the health, safety and welfare of


8 Maidstone April 2018


young people on the wards, the lack of reporting of incidents to relevant external authorities and


the safety of the ward environ- ment”. Three warning notices were


served by the Care Quality Com- mission,whichjudged“thequality of carebeingprovidedas requiring significant improvement”. Eight areas of concern were


identified and a follow-up inspec- tion was due to be carried out in February. Cygnet declined to comment.


Hospital firm makesmoney fromtheNHS


CYGNETHealth Care Limited, the private firm behind the new Bearsted hospital, is a very prof- itable business. According to a “strategic report”


filed with Companies House, in 2016 the company made £29.4m profit on a turnover of £179.3m, which compares to 2015 with a £30.1m margin on revenues of £132.8m. Across the country in 2016,


“Cygnet did business with 176 NHS purchasing bodies” and ac- counts for the bulk of its income. The business’ value is given as


£882m, which is more than double the valuation in 2015, and reflects the acquisition of the “adult serv- ices division” of another health care company. Cygnet’s US parent UniversalHealth Services Inc. part- funded the purchase of the Cam- bian Group division via a loan. The report said the company


made charitable contributions of £4,390 in 2016. It also says that it “is different to


many other providerswith a broad coverage of themental health spec- trumfromacute, secure, non-secure rehabilitation, out-patient services to adolescent, autism, learning dis- ability and elderly care”. Announcingthe 65-bedMaidstone


hospital’s scheduled opening in the summer of 2018,Cygnet says it is fo- cusedon “delivering shorter lengths of stay...so that our customers re- ceive better value and service users are rehabilitated earlier”.


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