HENDERSON FUTURE IN BALANCE DESPITE 'POWERFUL CASE' TO SAVE IT - BURSTOW

12.00.00am GMT Tue 8th Jan 2008

The borough's MPs, Paul Burstow and Tom Brake, were told that they had made a 'powerful' case for the personality disorder service at the Henderson Hospital to be saved when they met with Health Minister Ivan Lewis on Tuesday (9th January).

Paul Burstow MP for Sutton and Cheam led a deputation of clinicians to see the Minister and Mental Health Tzar, Louis Appleby, at the Department of Health. They argued that SW London and St Georges Mental Health Trust as the host Trust for the Henderson had struggled to keep the hospital open because it was a national service that drew patients from across the country. What was required to save the service was national commissioning.

Plans for a merger of the Henderson with the a service in Richmond are being drawn up but they may still fall fowl of PCTs inability to cope with commissioning specialist mental health services. The borough's MPs are calling for the plans to close the Henderson to be consulted on.

In the meeting with mental health minister Ivan Lewis, he said that MPs and clinicians had made a "powerful case" for keeping the hospital open. Both Paul Burstow and Tom Brake will be working with the consultants, patients and their families and other staff to keep up the pressure to maintain the service.

Commenting on the meetings, local MP Paul Burstow said:

"The Henderson provides a vital service, treating personality disorder not simply containing its consequences. Closure makes no sense, and the Minister recognised that there is a need for residential based personality disorder services. What is required now is action by the Department of Health to save what is a national service from closure".

Tom Brake MP added:

"The Henderson must not be forced to shut because of the inability of the Government and the Primary Care Trusts to find a long-term, sustainable way of funding it. This service, which helps some of society's most vulnerable people, is too good to lose".

Henderson Hospital consultant Dr Diana Menzies said:

"We thought it was a constructive and positive meeting in which Ivan Lewis and Louis Appleby seemed to appreciate the difficulties we are facing, and wanted to find a way forward".