FOI Ref: 0080FOI2021

1st October 2020 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request for Information

We are pleased to respond to your request for information and our response is set out below:

Request/ Response

1. A copy of your policy and/ or procedure and/or arrangements for the supply of urgent beds under section 140 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Please indicate if you do not have one.

NHS Sheffield CCG and NHS England collectively commission inpatient capacity from Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (SHSC) and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Foundation Trust (SCH).  This includes adult acute, Psychiatric Intensive Care, Children’s acute inpatient facilities, S136 provision, Dementia, LD and secure care. The contracts are managed through formal contract and quality review arrangements on a monthly basis.  Any specific policy or procedure will be held with the provider in line with their delegated responsibilities under the contract.

2. List of hospitals used for urgent beds under section 140;

See answer 1 above.  Any bed capacity commissioned outside of this capacity i.e. in that beds are full, will be sought on a case by case basis, this may necessitate commissioning provision out of Sheffield however individuals will be returned to local services as soon as possible. This will be managed by the providers in line with their contractual responsibilities.)

3. A copy of any joint policy for admissions - shared with your local authority, providers, police and ambulance service - on what to do when a bed cannot be found. 

In line with our contracts with our Providers, they are required to have local admission and discharge polices relative to services they provide surrounding their inpatient facilities. We believe this would be the same principles for NHSE, as a commissioner, but you would need to address this with them directly with regards the services they commission

4. The number of deaths – if any - in your area where access to a hospital bed was awaited for the following financial years:

1. 2017/18
2. 2018/19
3. 2019/20

Based on our interpretation of question 4, the CCG receives information relative to serious incidents and never events in line with contractual reporting requirements.  The number of deaths where access to a hospital bed was awaited is not available to Sheffield CCG. As the Provider is the commissioner of care we would advise that you contact them directly.

5. How many acute mental health beds to you plan to commission over the following financial years:

1. 2020/21
2. 2021/22
3. 2022/23

We have no current intention to increase the commissioned bed capacity beyond that which we currently commission.  We continue to have dialogue with our providers, and with colleagues within NHS England in order to dynamically respond to the changing landscape of demand, service provision and long term plan requirements

Additional information

Contact details for providers mentioned in response:

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust – foi@shsc.nhs.uk

Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – scn-tr.schfoi@nhs.net