Improving mental health care for Lambeth residents

Andrew Eyres, Strategic Director, Integrated Health and Care

High quality mental health care services are of vital importance in a borough such as Lambeth where there are on average more people requiring support with mental health conditions, and not least given the additional challenges that Covid-19 restrictions and increased isolation present to our residents.

As part of Lambeth Together, Lambeth’s mental health delivery partnership, the Lambeth Living Well Network Alliance, is working hard to improve access to and the experience of care and outcomes from mental health services, and in particular for our BAME residents and other vulnerable communities in the borough. The Alliance includes Lambeth Council, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the Clinical Commissioning Group, Certitude and Thames Reach and a close partnership with Black Thrive,

An ambitious programme of improvement is underway to:

• Better support the health and well-being of residents, including improved support closer to where they live, for those people experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Improve the experience of those people who do need to be admitted to hospital to improve their recovery.
• Provide more joined up care for people who have ongoing support needs through our Living Well Centres and ensure better links with primary care services.

A key part of the proposal is the reprovision of inpatient services currently based at the Lambeth Hospital on Landor Road, Clapham to a new purpose-built inpatient facility at the Maudsley Hospital site in Denmark Hill. The present Lambeth Hospital facilities are outdated, poorly configured and do not meet basic quality standards. The new facility will provide modern, spacious, fit-for-purpose accommodation that respects the privacy and dignity of patients and provides a positive high quality clinical and therapeutic environment for patients and staff alike and that promotes recovery.

Construction of the new unit, which will be called Douglas Bennett House, started in October 2020 and is planned to open for Lambeth patients in early 2023. SLaM have lodged a planning application for the redevelopment of the old Lambeth Hospital site when patient facilities move to the Maudsley site. These plans envisage construction of up to 545 homes, 50% of which will be affordable housing for social rent, increasing the housing supply for Lambeth residents and key workers in line with our local borough plan. Proceeds from the redevelopment will support SLaM’s continuing investment in transforming our community and inpatient mental health services that will benefit our patients and residents.

If you want to find out more about how we are improving mental health services in Lambeth you can read the latest updates from the Lambeth Living Well Network Alliance at the Lambeth Together website – www.lambethtogether.net