Brighton councillor warns about need for mental health beds

A Brighton councillor has asked health watchdogs to monitor the need for mental health beds in the area.

Councillor Mo Marsh said: “To judge from (the BBC TV programme) Panorama last night which looked at services in Southampton we need to keep an eye on it.

“People with mental health needs are often picked up by the police because they are engaging in anti-social behaviour.”

She told the Brighton and Hove City Council Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee: “We have discussed here proposals to reduce the number of in-patent beds.”

Councillor Sven Rufus said that he had recently visited Mill View in Hove and that capacity was something that remained on the committee’s radar.

The Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has previously tried to persuade the committee that fewer in-patient beds are needed.

It wants to care for more patients in the community but the committee has expressed reservations about this.