APPENDIX

Sir, Madam, Members of County Borough Council

The Rhymney Action Group submits to you today a petition of 3125 signatures (0ver 50% of the electorate in the area) against the imposition of a low secure Forensic Psychiatric Hospital on the communities of Rhymney, and by Cambian Healthcare; a private and independent provider of psychiatric rehabilitation treatment.

The proposed hospital is to be in Rhymney at the former Rhymney Village Care Home.

This building is sited in the centre of our and within 50 metres of the building there are schools, playing fields, sheltered housing, Redwood Memorial Hospital, the High Street and the homes of residents, all of these directly overlooked by this proposed psychiatric hospital.

There is very little open land at the site, only at the rear; and this opens onto a residential street cul de sac and onto footpath and road access to the local Primary school, college and railway station. The front entrance to the building faces directly onto another residential street with only a small open forecourt to the road.

THIS IS NOT A SUITABLE SITE FOR A SECURE FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

A hospital that will provide secure forensic psychiatric services, services for “offenders and those likely to offend due to their psychiatric disorders”. Many patients will be sectioned under the Mental Health Act and will be referred from a 50-mile radius. This includes , , Bristol, Bath and Gloucester.

The clients referred to this hospital will come from England and – but not necessarily from Caerphilly county borough or ‘’.

The Welsh Assembly Government tells us that this is a Planning issue for the Planning Authority to decide. Cambian Healthcare claims that there will be no ‘change of use’ at the hospital – they claim this will be a residential care home previously registered to provide nursing care NOT a hospital and have therefore not currently made any application for a planning decision.

WE CHALLENGE THIS ASSUMPTION BY CAMBIAN HEALTHCARE

CHANGING THE USE FROM A CARE HOME FOR THE ELDERLY TO A SECURE FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, FOR THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS CONSTITUTES WE FEEL A MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE AT THE PREMISES. THIS DECISION NOW RESTS WITH CAERPHILLY COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL AS LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY

The legislation concerning Residential Homes and Hospitals and recent changes to the Town and Country Planning Act 1987 (Use Classes Order) and subordinate legislation providing a secondary Category under this Order for “secure” residential units is currently being considered by the Planning Department and Legal Services of the Authority. Following the raising of the issues by the Rhymney Action Group.

There is a duty placed on National Health Services to consult Health Scrutiny Committees on proposals for a Substantial Variation to Health Services this does not encompass the independent sector in Wales via the Care Standards Agency or the Healthcare Inspectorate for Wales who are not government bodies and consider only standards of care and patient/carer participation.

Current legislative process

 DOES NOT GIVE THE LOCAL AUTHORITY ANY SAY OR INFLUENCE WITH REGARD TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT RELATES TO LOCAL INDEPENDENT HEALTHCARE DEVELOPMENTS (unless there are planning issues)

 ALLOWS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO INFLUENCE WHATS HAPPENING IN THEIR LOCALITY

 THIS IS DETRIMENTAL AND DAMAGING TO LOCAL DEMOCRACY AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT

“It is unacceptable that an independent sector healthcare development that evokes such strong feelings and concerns from the community and public sector agencies should be able to proceed without any requirement for information provision to local residents or agencies about the nature of the proposed development.”

ON BEHALF OF ALL THE RESIDENTS AND THE 3400 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY, THE RHYMNEY ACTION GROUP REQUEST THAT AN URGENT SCRUTINY ENQUIRY BE INSTIGATED TO CONSIDER THE DEVELOPMENT AT THE FORMER VILLAGE CARE HOME BY A PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY AND AN INDEPENDENT HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OF A SECURE FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION HOSPITAL

THIS WILL, IF IT PROCEEDS, CONSTITUTE A SUBSTANTIAL VARIATION TO HEALTH SERVICES IN THE BOROUGH. CUTTING ACROSS THE AUTHORITY’S LONG TERM COMMUNITY PLAN, SERVICE PLANS AND HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE AND WELLBEING PLANS

THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE UPPER AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CAERPHILLY COUNTY BOROUGH ARE AT RISK SHOULD THIS DEVELOPMENT BE ALLOWED TO GO AHEAD

THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT COST IMPLICATIONS FOR ALL AGENCIES CONCERNED IN PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES NEEDED TO HELP REHABILITATE AND SUPPORT AN ADDITIONAL 24 SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS IN THE BOROUGH, WHEREVER THEIR ORIGIN – THEY WILL BE IN CAERPHILLY - LONGTERM

SERVICES AFFECTED

SOCIAL SERVICES – VIA MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS, SOCIAL WORKERS

POLICING – FORENSIC REFERRALS ARE VIA THE COURTS, PROBATION – THERE WILL BE OFFENDERS PLACED AT THE FACILITY AS A SECURE UNIT THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY SAFETY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED

LOCAL GP’s, PHARMACY SERVICES

WHO WILL MAKE THE DECISION TO REDIRECT RESOURCES?

HOW MUCH WILL MENTALLY ILL RESIDENTS OF CAERPHILLY LOSE OUT?

HOW MUCH EXTRA WILL THE RESIDENTS OF CAERPHILLY CB HAVE TO PAY TO COVER THESE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES YEAR ON YEAR?

CAMBIAN HEALTHCARE ARE A PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY, THEIR BOTTOM LINE IS PROFIT.

THEIR PATIENTS ARE FUNDED 100% BY THE NHS

THEIR CLIENTS ARE PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS, HEALTHCARE TRUSTS AND THE CONSTITUENT LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS E.g. GWENT HEALTHCARE TRUST ARE ALREADY LISTED AS A CLIENT

THEIR PROFITS ARE FUNDED BY OUR COMMUNITIES, ARE WE NOT AT THE VERY LEAST ENTITLED TO A SAY IN WHETHER THEY COME INTO OUR COMMUNITIES OR NOT?

ARE YOU NOT TO HAVE A SAY ON WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE COMMUNITIES YOU WORK FOR?