Patients rank West London Mental Health services below national average
The service received from West London Mental Health Trust, which looks after people in Hammersmith and Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow, has been ranked worse than the national average by its patients.
Those under the Trust's care told a survey carried out by Care Quality Commission (CQC) that they were not happy about the way in which they were offered care. Satisfaction levels were particularly poor in relation to the availability of therapy where patients get to talk about the problems they face with a qualified counsellor.
A Chiswick resident who has been on the waiting list for counselling for more than six months said, "Whilst my GP was fantastic, it was counselling that I really needed to help me through a very difficult period in my life. I can't afford a private counsellor so I just have to wait until a place becomes available."
The poll carried out the Care Quality Commission, an independent regulator of health and social care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organizations, involved more than 200 patients who use the services in west London between July and September 2009.
The new Chief Executive of West London Mental Health Trust, Peter Cubbon said that improvements were being made but it might take some time to complete the whole program.
September 23, 2010
|