independent Cornish news and comment

Special Measures lifted

Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health has this morning (28th March 2008) confirmed that the special measures that Cornwall Partnership Trust was placed under in July 2006 will be lifted with immediate effect.

The Trust was placed on special measures – a system of additional monitoring and supervision to ensure the necessary improvements were made following a joint investigation into local learning disability services by the Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Their report made a total of 45 recommendations.

Lezli Boswell, Chief Executive of Cornwall Partnership Trust said “I’m really pleased to see the Review Team found considerable improvements in the quality of services. We now have a service which is based around individuals, providing improved accommodation and ensuring people with a learning disability are encouraged and assisted to have more independence and involvement in their care, along with their families and carers.”

Eighteen months after the publication of the investigation into services for people with learning disability in Cornwall, a number of substantial changes have been made, however, the statutory partners in Cornwall are committed to building upon these improvements to benefit the wider community of people with a learning disability and their families and carers in Cornwall.

Ann James, Chief Executive, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT, said: “This announcement recognises the commitment and hard work of the local NHS and Social Care to improve services for people with learning disabilities. This is an important milestone. However, we are not complacent and will continue to drive further improvements for all people with a learning disability.”

Changes made to date include: • Ensuring the 194 people with a learning disability who lived in an inpatient facility or in a supported setting, their families and advocates have led the development of individualised packages of care, chosen and recruited support staff and chosen where they would like to live. • The closure of Budock Hospital, Westheath House and Tamarisk resulting in the removal of all inpatient learning disability facilities in Cornwall nearly two years head of the national timetable of 2010. • The transfer of 45 supported living houses to a range of specialist learning disability domiciliary care and support providers. • Establishing new Community Teams to work with people with a learning disability in their homes and support their specialist health needs. The teams are made up of a range of practitioners and support workers. • Establishing specialist nursing input in primary care settings and the local acute hospital to ensure good access to healthcare.

Sheila Healy, Chief Executive of Cornwall County Council said “The Health and Social Care community have worked hard together to ensure that these important improvements have taken place. This has led to a whole range of developments that will be of benefit to the local community. We are committed to continuing to strengthen the support and services available to local people with a learning disability and their families.”