AQW 3740/10

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 11/01/2010
Answered On Date: 26/01/2010
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what evidence or advice informed the decision to maintain admissions to Windsor House despite its current state, and to merge the Dorothy Gardiner and Rathlin Wards.

Answer:

Since the introduction of Belfast Home Treatment Service and improvements in systems and processes within mental health services, Belfast Trust has moved from a position where acute inpatient beds were difficult to access, to the current position where there is reduced demand for beds across the three inpatient units at Knockbracken, Mater and Belfast City Hospital sites.

Longer term, the Trust aims to have one purpose built in-patient facility for Belfast with more community-based support. The Trust has developed proposals for a new inpatient psychiatric unit and is currently consulting on these, including options for the location for the new unit.

These proposals are in line with best practice and the Bamford recommendations.