A man made a powerful statement by lying on a trolley outside the Senedd on a cold November day. His intention was to draw attention to the failings within the mental health services of the NHS. Mental health patients in need of hospital admission in Wales often face waiting for days and nights on chairs in overcrowded accident and emergency departments. The shortage of mental health beds and staff has worsened over the years, according to a mental health nurse named Chloe Webber. She highlighted the challenges faced by both patients and healthcare workers in accessing timely and appropriate care.
Chloe Webber, an experienced mental health nurse, shared her insights while participating in a protest organised by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) outside the Senedd. She revealed that patients sometimes wait up to 10 hours before being seen by a mental health nurse, and then another 24 hours or more for a mental health bed. The nurse lamented the lack of resources and the impact it has on the quality of care provided to patients. The reduction in mental health beds and community nurses over the past decade has only exacerbated the situation, leading to patients being sent to hospitals as far away as Manchester and London in search of available beds.
According to Chloe Webber, the issue at hand is not solely about the increase in mental health problems but rather the lack of capacity to cater to the existing needs. She emphasised that the reduction in community nursing services has resulted in some patients not receiving the necessary care, eventually leading them to seek help in A&E departments. The prolonged waits and the lack of dignity and privacy for mental health patients in such settings contribute to their deteriorating health and add further strain to the healthcare system.
The Royal College of Nursing staged a demonstration outside the Senedd to shed light on the plight of mental health patients enduring long waits in overcrowded hospitals. Chloe Webber, who chose not to disclose the hospital where she works, stressed the urgent need for more resources to be allocated to community nursing services. She believes that investing in preventive measures through community mental health services can help alleviate the pressure on A&E departments and improve overall patient outcomes. While funding plays a crucial role, Chloe asserted that the allocation of budgets also needs to be reviewed to address the root causes of the systemic challenges faced by mental health services in Wales.
Responding to the concerns raised, a Welsh Government spokesperson acknowledged the pressures faced by the NHS in Wales, emphasising the importance of providing quality care without compromising patients’ privacy or dignity. The government recognises the challenges that lead to prolonged stays in emergency departments and assessment areas and is committed to addressing the issues at hand. The protest outside the Senedd served as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for systemic changes to enhance mental health services and ensure better outcomes for patients across Wales.