BANES mental health services are ‘inadequate’ un satisfying needs

A mental health service is “insufficient” and unsatisfying people’s requirements, according to a health watchdog.

The comment was contain in a Healthwatch report on pandemic services in Bath and North East Somerset, as well as Swindon and Wiltshire, with whom the area shares services.

People polled admired volunteer organizations but had poor experiences with government services.

More training and support, according to the assessment, were require.

It stated that the training was focuse on trauma, eating disorders, and children’s services.

On January 24, the report was present to Bath and North East Somerset’s Health and Wellbeing board.

“Several carers reported being traumatis by the experience of caring during the pandemic when support services were curtailed, schools were closed, and family support was diminished,” according to the study.

According to the research, there is an “urgent need for more trauma-informed care.”

‘Underlying trauma’

Breakthrough, a Twerton-based provider of professional trauma therapy, reported a tripling of referrals in 2021 compared to 2020.

Meanwhile, Julian House, which provides outreach to Bath’s homeless, stated that everyone at their Manvers Street hostel needed help with underlying trauma.

According to the Bath Carers’ Centre, mental health suffered throughout the pandemic, and 2021 was considerably worse than 2020.

According to the research, “several carers reported being traumatized by the experience of caring during the pandemic when support services were restricted, schools were closed, and family support was reduced.”

Several participants told the study there was a lack of eating disorder services and that help was better at Bristol’s Southmead Hospital than at Bath’s Royal Unite Hospital.

The conclusions of a recent Youth Connect South West report, which stressed the need to signpost services for children and young people so they know what they can access, were also highlight in the Healthwatch report.

“We need more help and more education about where to find help,” one young person stated.

Young people’s experiences with the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service were also discuss. Some young people found the location in Keynsham inaccessible and the wait periods too long.

One of the key themes in the barriers to receiving BANES mental health services was waiting times.

Dine Romero, the council’s cabinet member for children, young people, and communities, said she “welcomed” the report’s conclusions.

“We understood that in this area, mental health partners […] must work to improve people’s experiences with mental health services.”