Health bosses are setting out to overhaul adult mental health care across Harborough - here's how you can have your say

A wide-ranging public consultation has been launched this week – and it will run for three months
Health bosses are setting out to overhaul adult mental health care across Harborough and throughout Leicestershire – and you are being urged to have your say.Health bosses are setting out to overhaul adult mental health care across Harborough and throughout Leicestershire – and you are being urged to have your say.
Health bosses are setting out to overhaul adult mental health care across Harborough and throughout Leicestershire – and you are being urged to have your say.

Health bosses are setting out to overhaul adult mental health care across Harborough and throughout Leicestershire – and you are being urged to have your say.

A wide-ranging public consultation has been launched this week – and it will run for three months.

Everyone is being asked to get involved to help shape future services.

The move follows a series of conversations, meetings and workshops with service users, public, staff, and voluntary organisations about their experiences of services.

The feedback has helped the local NHS to develop proposals that will improve care provided when it is urgent and to deliver care closer to where people live.

Andy Williams is the chief executive of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), which are leading the sweeping public exercise.

“The Covid-19 pandemic meant we had to quickly change how we worked – introducing temporary measures – to keep service users safe while continuing their care.

“The whole country had to embrace technology in a way we never had before,” said Mr Williams.

“At the same time, the combined effects of ill health, isolation and job losses is having a huge impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing.”

Before the coronavirus pandemic some 10 per cent of adults said they experienced some form of depression.

More than a year on from the first lockdown, one in five adults has experienced depression in early 2021 – more than double pre-pandemic levels.

Disabled people, vulnerable adults and those living in the most deprived areas have been among the hardest hit.

“We want to know what people think about the proposed improvements we’ve made during the pandemic and whether we should make them permanent.

“We also want to talk to people about other plans to improve mental health services.” said Mr Williams.

Gordon King, Director of Mental Health at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust said: “We have a significant opportunity to enhance the quality of people’s lives by investing in mental health services provided in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

“Mental health heavily influences our whole health and wellbeing.

“Now more than ever before it makes sense that mental health, just like physical health, is taken care of and maintained.

“To do this the NHS locally is investing more in local services to dramatically improve urgent and community care and treatment to improve people’s lives.”

Mr King added: “We want to make sure our mental health services are truly responsive and meet the needs of the local population, so people can access services easily and no one ever feels that they are being overlooked.

“The aim is to take mental health support into local communities, making it easier and quicker to access support where they live.

“We also want to build on the successful collaborative approach between primary care, secondary care, voluntary community sector and local authorities developed over the past year.”

The public consultation will run until Sunday August 15.

To find out more about the consultation and what is proposed and why, visit www.greatmentalhealthllr.nhs.ukTo request a copy of the questionnaire for you to fill in at home or to arrange to complete it with a member of staff, call 0116 295 0750 or email [email protected]