NEWSTop Stories
n By Keith Hatch
Unite fights to save mental health support in Somerset
The Unite Community Branch in Somerset has recently been supporting a campaign to save mental health provision across the county - and recruiting new members in the process.
On a windy Friday April morning in Shepton Mallet, Unite Community members brought banners, placards, petitions and even some street theatre to the local Tesco and Market Square. This was just the latest action as part of the campaign to save St Andrews Ward – a mental health ward in Wells.
The group soon set about raising awareness of the campaign, the importance of keeping mental health provision local by handing out information and collecting signatures for their petition.
St Andrews Ward has 14 beds that provide assessment and treatment primarily for adults who are experiencing an acute mental health problem. The ward has a team of specialist doctors, nurses and therapists who work closely with the crisis resolution and home treatment team, and predominantly provides services for people who live in the Mendip area.
Campaigners say that closure of the centre will reduce mental health support in Mendip - with patients having to stay 20 – 30 miles away in Yeovil.
The demo in Shepton Mallet, the eleventh so far, was organised by
Unite Community member Emma King. Emma started the campaign, and recently joined the branch after seeing the way it supports local communities.
Emma said, “Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group have made the decision to close St Andrews Ward, and we do not accept that the building of a new ward in Yeovil requires the closure of the ward in Wells.”
“The Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a dramatic impact on mental health and therefore this is absolutely the wrong time to make drastic changes to mental health services provision.”
But access is also a big issue. “The bus service to Yeovil is infrequent and expensive, so most patients and visitors will be reliant on private car use,” continued Emma. “This will
inevitably increase the carbon footprint and could also result in longer recovery rates for patients, who are likely to have less support from carers, family and friends unable to visit as often.”
Unite regional officer, Brett Sparkes, attended the demo, along with Somerset Community Branch Secretary, Dave Chapple and other members. Brett said, “This is a very important issue for local people across Mendip, and the growing number of Unite Community members are ideally placed to support this campaign to protect mental services in rural Somerset.
“Any reduction in provision will not only have an impact on service users, their families and friends - but also the dedicated staff who work in St Andrews Ward. Rural
communities often face isolation in cuts to services – something that only increases the impact on mental health. To attempt to close the ward makes no sense and Somerset Unite Community will continue to fight the cuts and support local communities.”
Campaign co-ordinator and Unite Community activist Emma King 8 uniteLANDWORKERSummer 2022
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
