FEARS for the future of mental health services in south Cumbria have eased after directors voted to keep a busy unit open.

The future of the Kentmere ward at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal was unclear after concerns its mixed sex accommodation was unsuitable for patients.

This prompted fears that patients in crisis would no longer receive safe care.

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However the board of directors at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust decided that the ward will remain open.

Claire Molloy, chief executive of CPFT said: "Whilst we acknowledge that Kentmere does not meet the standards of modern mental health inpatient care, we are satisfied that the actions taken over the past few months are managing the risks posed by the environment on a short term basis.

"The feedback from service users, carers, staff, the local MP, our partners and the local community has provided valuable insights and contributed to the decision to keep the ward open.

"However, the trust is clear that the environment does not meet the standards that we want for service users in Cumbria, and the actions that we have taken so far do not address the issues relating to safety, access to outside space and same sex accommodation on a sustainable, long term basis."

A full review of the adult mental health in-patient model will be considered by NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group later this year.

The previous review concluded that moving patients and putting an alternative service in place would be a greater risk than keeping the ward open.

Dr Andrew Brittlebank, medical director for CPFT added: "We are now focussing on training staff in the different skill sets that are needed to provide a more comprehensive home treatment service.

"This will ensure that we are in the best possible position to provide the services we are commissioned for and the best possible contemporary care for our service users now and in the future.”

The report which was presented to the board is available online at www.cumbriapartnership.nhs.uk

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