proposed redesign of learning disability and autistic spectrum disorder services

Overview

People in the North West region and beyond are being urged to have their say on the proposals that have been drawn up by local health and care leaders to modernise services. The proposals include the closure of Mersey Care Whalley site formerly called Calderstones hospital, as called for by Sir Stephen Bubb's 'Winterbourne View - Time for Change' report and the Public Accounts Committee.

NHS England is consulting widely across the North West and beyond to ensure that the views of people who both deliver and depend on these services are at the heart of how care is transformed across the region.

The proposals ensure that people with learning disabilities and/or autism will:

• Have greater choice in their pathway of care with equal and fair access to services;
• Be able to live in a community setting;
• Continue to receive care and treatment, closer to home, at the appropriate level to meet their needs;
• Receive proactive healthcare to maintain health and wellbeing, and;

Have access to acute assessment services/ inpatient provision when needed

The formal consultation will run until 23 February 2017 (11:59pm). Views will be collected via the online survey. Alternative formats including hard copies are also available by contacting england.northspecialisedcorporate@nhs.net or via telephone number 0113 8254657

A number of events will also be held to support consultation. They are: Patients/ Carers events, Webinars (online / telephone meetings).

The online consultation meetings will be an hour long and take place on the 27 January at 4pm, and also on the 9 February at 10am. NHS England will also be holding an online webinar meeting on February 21st at 2pm to discuss any final points that you may have before the consultation closes. To book your place for this meeting please contact england.northspecialisedcorporate@nhs.net.

In terms of the next steps in the consultation, we have asked an independent company, Participate, to analyse all the responses that have been received throughout the process and produce a report on what the respondents have said.

NHS England will then consider the responses before developing our recommendations. The recommendations will then be made to the relevant committees before a final decision is taken by the NHS England National Director of Nursing and Interim National Director for Specialised Commissioning.

If you need any further information during this period please contact the North Specialised Commissioning team at: england.northspecialsiedcorporate@nhs.net.