Specialist mental health services provided by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis are among the best in the country.
Dr Tim Ojo, executive medical director for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said the Trust’s services matched the best practice called for in a report published today by the Schizophrenia Commission.
He said: “Our teams who work with people to identify the early signs of psychosis and schizophrenia, and help them lead full lives, are nationally acclaimed. We are extending talking therapies for people with these diagnoses, again linked to a national initiative and our inpatient units are externally assessed as providing excellent care
“I can reassure the people of Sussex that we are leading the way in our support for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis.”
He also called for an end to the stigma that still surrounds mental illness and often stops people leading full lives or gaining employment.
The specialist services for this group of people provided by Sussex Partnership includes:
-Early intervention in psychosis services for young people and adults, working with them to identify the early signs of psychosis and schizophrenia and giving people the care, treatment and support they need to lead their lives
- A new service to offer talking therapies to people with psychosis in Sussex in the coming weeks which will provide increased support for up to 1,000 people over the coming year. This is linked to a national initiative which is designed to demonstrate the value of this kind of people with a diagnosis of psychosis.
- 24-hour crisis support for people in their own homes, supported by modern inpatient services for people who do need to come into hospital, often for a short while.
- Helping people get back into work – only eight per cent of people with these diagnoses are in work when so many others could work, and want to work. Sussex Partnership and Southdown Supported Employment have developed a new programme which successfully got over 300 people into work over the last year
- A campaign to challenge stigma and discrimination through Time to Change, a national initiative led by Rethink and MIND.
The report of the Schizophrenia Commission, published on November 14 2012, suggests mental health services for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis could be improved. It is available at http://www.schizophreniacommission.org.uk/. The Commission was established by the national mental health charity Rethink.
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