Firshill Rise: NHS permanently closes ward where vulnerable patients were neglected

The Firshill Rise seven-bed assessment and treatment service for people with learning disabilities who also have mental health and behavioural issues was found by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to be failing in all aspects and ordered to close in May 2021. It has not reopened since then.

Members of Sheffield City Council’s health scrutiny sub-committee have been included in consultations over the future of the service. At their meeting on Thursday (June 1) they were given an update from senior NHS managers, who explained that the unit will not reopen because there is a new focus on preventative support and treatment services in the community.

Heather Burns, deputy director of mental health, learning disability, autism and dementia transformation at NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said the change in services under the NHS Transforming Care programme means only one or two people a year now need that type of specialist bed.

She said that, as well as the serious failings in care, an investigation into Firshill Rise showed that some patients had been in the unit for far too long. “We had 26 people in long-stay hospitals at the start of this process, many who effectively lived in hospital,” she said.

“The transforming care programme was saying that that a hospital isn’t a home and that’s why they’re looking to prevent admissions and enhance community services. We were not able to enhance community services before because we have got money locked into beds we no longer need and that’s why we’re wanting to go forward (with closure).”

She said that service users and their families have been extensively consulted over the changes. There is a bigger emphasis on co-producing services and policies involving individuals and groups such as Sheffield Voices, Mencap and Healthwatch, which all took part in running the consultation.

Ms Burns added that a person with learning disabilities now co-chairs a programme board. A new multi-disciplinary team has now been set up to deliver the improved community care services.

Some members will be doing regular checks on any patients who need those specialist beds, as they will be in hospital outside the city, said Ms Burns. There is also support in place to ensure that families are able to visit patients, including staff accompanying them where necessary.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Hassan Mahmood said: “It’s a really exciting time for the service. Sometimes opportunities don’t come up very often to make things better. We’ve used learning from other services with a CQC rating of good which has really helped to develop the model.

“If we keep people out of hospital as much as possible, if we ensure that people have the right level of medication to enhance their quality of life, it’s my feeling that the rest of it will fall in place as a good barometer of how well a service is working.”

He said that, with increased funding, the service will be more responsive with its interventions to prevent admissions and become more pro-active and dynamic in patient care.

Coun Steve Ayris commended the work that has gone into making the changes from all sides, ensuring that the lived experience of people has played a vital role in creating the new model for the service.

Councillors accepted the report, agreeing to the closure, and will get a further update in the autumn.