Full Story at St Helens Star, 12 April 2018
ST HELENS Clinical Commissioning Group spent more than £4 million on out of area mental health placements in 2018.
Professor Sarah O’Brien, chief accountable officer for the CCG, told board members that it failed to meet its £500,000 savings target for out of area mental health placements for 2017-18.
She said the organisation has forecast that it has spent £4.1 million on 39 patients supported outside of the St Helens area.
“That illustrates the complexity of these individuals that, that amount of money, which is a lot of money, is being spent on a very small number of packages.
“Right now, we have 29 live packages, so we have 29 complex mental health packages which we’re funding.”
Of that figure, 14 patients are currently placed outside of the North West.
“This is why there is a big drive to bring individuals closer to home,” she said.
“Apart from the fact that it is better for them and their family, but also the cost because the further away from home they go, the more expensive the packages go.