Agenda item

Further to Minute No. 72 of the Council Meeting held on 18^th October, 2017, Mrs. S. Thackery attended to present the petition that had been received in respect of the Cedar House Crisis Centre facility on Moorgate Road, Rotherham. As the petition had 1,000 valid signatures under the Council’s petition scheme, it has been referred for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

This report detailed the background to decisions taken relating to Cedar House and the process that the Board should follow in considering the call for action contained within the petition.

Mrs Thackery attended the meeting to set out the reasons behind the petition. She explained that the unit had been used primarily by individuals with mental or emotional issues. There had been an outcry from service users since notice had been provided of the intention to sell Cedar House, especially as mental provision was widely considered to in crisis across the country. Mrs Thackery referred to the experience of family members who had used the facility and cited testimonies from other service users as to the value of the unit. Mrs Thackery was supported in her representation by the CQC Registered Manager at Cedar House, who was employed by Rethink, who further explained the value of Cedar House as a crisis house. Reference was made to the potential for the spot purchase of units rather than the block purchase which had been the case historically, which was considered to be a most cost effective option for the authority that would allow Cedar House to continue as a valuable resource for service users.

In response to questions from Members, Mrs Thackery explained that she had become aware of the proposals to close Cedar House in April 2017 and her lack of awareness of the procedure to petition the Council had led to the delay in the petition being presented in October 2017. She further indicated that the Council’s proposals were inadequate as people with mental health conditions or issues did not want to be in hospital environments and that a house/home based model of care was a more effective place for them to receive crisis care.

In responding to the petition, the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Roche, expressed sympathy for the points made by Mrs Thackery as lead petitioner. He explained that the original deals in 1995 and 2005 were not good deals and that the Council had made the right decision to decommission the service in March 2017. The background to the decision and subsequent correspondence with Rethink, the provider of services at Cedar House, was detailed by the Cabinet Member. He indicated that the Council was working with Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber Foundation Trust and Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group to develop a patient centred crisis plan and would review the type of help that would be required for individuals in crisis.

Members sought assurances that the Mental Health Lead Commissioner at the CCG had continued to be involved in the discussions following the decision to decommission the unit. There was also some reflection on the benefit of Cedar House as a small unit being a disadvantage due to the high fixed costs associated with it being a small unit. Members were reminded that the unit was for mental health crisis and was not a respite facility.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the petition be noted.

(2)  That the lead petitioner be advised that the call for action is not supported by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board