More transparency for mental health (From This Is Wiltshire)

THE AVON and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership is working towards becoming a Foundation Trust with a membership of local people who can influence how its services are provided.

AWP has come under fire in recent months following a critical report from the Care Quality Commission, which said the partnership had failed to meet essential standards.

And an independent review into the governance of AWP earlier this year found the trust was ‘centralist in style, with improvement required in clinical engagement and poor relationships with stakeholders’.

However, it is hoped changes at the top and improvements planned throughout the trust will help the organisation become more transparent.

In a summer bulletin for members, published this week, AWP has identified its top three priorities as putting service users and carers at the heart of what it does, increasing clinical input into management decisions and being open and transparent.

A spokesperson for AWP said: “These commitments underpin a major Fit for the Future action plan which responds to July’s publication of a critical report into the trust’s organisation and management arrangements. “Fit for the Future sets out how the trust is addressing the report’s criticism and how it will better meet patients’ needs. “This includes strengthening the involvement of clinicians, decentralising management, increasing accountability, improving care and improving staff engagement and morale.”

To increase its understanding, the Trust Board is also rotating its meetings across its six core local authority areas to make it easier for those interested to attend and to enable it to hear directly from staff, service users and carers.

New chairman, Tony Gallagher, said he and acting chief executive Paul Miller had already begun the process of leading the organisation through a tough time.

“Acting chief executive Paul Miller and I have started to change the way the trust is run and the way it relates to staff, service users, carers and other stakeholders,” he said.

“I see my appointment as recognition of the positive steps taken and the Appointments Commission’s faith in my ability to lead the trust through this challenging period.

“Our objective will be to radically improve outcomes for service users and to improve our staff’s ability to make a difference.”

Visit www.awp.nhs.uk.