Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group have made the decision to close St Andrew's Ward in Wells.

We do not accept that the building of a new ward in Yeovil requires the closure of the ward in Wells. We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, a dramatic impact on mental health and therefore this is absolutely the wrong time to make dramatic changes to mental health services provision.

Furthermore, all councils in Somerset have signed up to the "climate emergency" and they are therefore duty-bound to consider the environmental impact of this decision.  The bus service to Yeovil is infrequent and expensive and so most patients and visitors will be reliant on private car use and this will inevitably increase the carbon footprint over and above what it would have been if St Andrew's Ward were to be retained. Recovery rates for patients are likely to be quicker with the support of family and friends, who may not be able to visit if they have to travel further, meaning that beds are likely to be occupied for longer.

We believe that the closure of Phoenix Ward was ill thought out and has allegedly left St Andrew's Ward vulnerable as a standalone ward. This is an example of the planned neglect of the NHS, with the gradual running down of services. If St Andrew's Ward is closed then it will be gone for good and we do not believe that the Bridge will be maintained into the long term future and will also be vulnerable to closure once St Andrew's Ward is gone.

We therefore propose that St Andrew's Ward is retained and improved and that Phoenix Ward is reopened to cope with the increased demands and to ensure that services remain local, the carbon footprint of patients and their families and friends is kept to a minimum and that fewer people need to be sent outside of Somerset for mental health treatment.

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