500 signatures reached
To: Staffordshire County Council, South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation trust and the government
Communicate and support users of Quest service in Staffordshire
Communicate with service users concerning what will happen to their care and support when Quest closes on March 31st and support them to find equivalent and appropriate care.
Why is this important?
The council are decommissioning a vital care and treatment service for people with mental health issues in Staffordshire called Quest . The council state they have carried out extensive consultation on this issue whilst also admitting no actual service users were consulted. This contravenes the responsibility of the council under the Care Act to involve and treat with respect service users. This is a vital service for its users, without which any service users would see a significant deterioration in their mental health.
Without the Quest service many service users will see a significant decline in their mental health as it is vital for users personal, social and occupational well being. The council are decommissioning the service without consulting or communicating with service users which is wrong on a common sense level but also goes against the responsibility the council has to users under the Care Act.
The way the matter has been handled by Staffordshire County Council is disappointing to say the least. Users have been informed that the service closes on March 31st but the council refuses to give any details about what care and support the users will become offered after the closure causing practical problems with planning and much distress. Users have known about the closure for 5 months and there is only just over 2 months left before Quest closes and so have been worrying about this matter for a long time with no information to use in planning for care and support when Quest closes.
Additionally in the local newspaper Staffordshire Newsletter Alan White (the appropriate cabinet member from the council) says that the council have conducted an 'extensive' consultation on the matter, in a later interview with BBC radio Stoke Mr White then admits that he hasn't consulted service users on this issue but instead consulted service providers. This lack of communication and miscommunication from the council does not show any respect to service users and is causing much upset.
Users need to be involved in this process and supported to get the care they need when Quest is decommissioned as soon as possible.
Without the Quest service many service users will see a significant decline in their mental health as it is vital for users personal, social and occupational well being. The council are decommissioning the service without consulting or communicating with service users which is wrong on a common sense level but also goes against the responsibility the council has to users under the Care Act.
The way the matter has been handled by Staffordshire County Council is disappointing to say the least. Users have been informed that the service closes on March 31st but the council refuses to give any details about what care and support the users will become offered after the closure causing practical problems with planning and much distress. Users have known about the closure for 5 months and there is only just over 2 months left before Quest closes and so have been worrying about this matter for a long time with no information to use in planning for care and support when Quest closes.
Additionally in the local newspaper Staffordshire Newsletter Alan White (the appropriate cabinet member from the council) says that the council have conducted an 'extensive' consultation on the matter, in a later interview with BBC radio Stoke Mr White then admits that he hasn't consulted service users on this issue but instead consulted service providers. This lack of communication and miscommunication from the council does not show any respect to service users and is causing much upset.
Users need to be involved in this process and supported to get the care they need when Quest is decommissioned as soon as possible.
