HEALTH chiefs have insisted seriously mentally ill patients from Dorset will no longer need to receive treatment outside of the county.

The response from the NHS trust responsible for mental health services comes after figures showed as many as five people were sent miles away for treatment because the care they needed could not be provided in the county.

As reported, in the year to March, acutely ill adults from Dorset spent a combined 50 days in non-local facilities due to bed pressures following arrangements made by NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group.

Placements are considered inappropriate when they are due to a lack of beds locally rather than a specific need to send a patient elsewhere.

Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust is responsible for mental health treatment across the county.

The trust’s clinical director for mental health, Mike Kelly, said: “Out-of-area placements were used only as a last resort by our acute adult inpatient mental health services, either when we were at full capacity or when a person had very complex needs and required specialist care not available within Dorset.

“We have always been committed to reducing the need for out-of-area placements, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan, and have undertaken an extensive programme of work achieve this.

“Over the past year we have ended all out-of-area placements and can now ensure that people with acute mental health needs are cared for in Dorset, close to their family, friends and home environment.”

The Government pledged to eradicate these placements by the end of March but five acutely ill adults from the area were still being cared for by non-local support services at the end of that month.

Such placements cost Dorset CCG £30,390 over the year, while the average daily cost an out of area bed was £530.

The NHS said the coronavirus pandemic disrupted progress towards meeting the Government target to abolish inappropriate placements by March 2021.

This year will see the Government invest £1.7 billion in mental health services, along with £500m to tackle covid-related pressures.

The funding would allow for improvements to community and crisis care services and would support timely hospital discharges, allowing for a reduction in pressure on inpatient services, the NHS said.

An NHS spokeswoman said: “Mental health providers are committed to ending inappropriate out of area placements as soon as possible, and safely for patients.”