NHS mental health services in Islington are failing to meet targets across the board, according to a report presented at a council meeting on 15 October.
The local NHS trust is falling significantly below targets for referral time, post-discharge follow-ups, and admission of patients within their local area.
Diagnosis of dementia and other cognitive impairments is a particular “cause for concern”, with only 45% of patients diagnosed within six weeks of referral to the trust’s memory service, significantly below the target of 85%.
There was also an issue with mental health patients being admitted to hospitals outside of their local area. More than 600 patients were recorded in an “out of area bed”, while the target was 372.
Just 63% of patients discharged from adult acute mental health inpatient facilities received a follow-up within 72 hours. The target is 80%, and the goal is in place to “support a safer transition” for patients and reduce readmission rates.
Prosper Mafu, managing director of the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust’s Islington Division, set out the figures at a scrutiny committee meeting.
The report also revealed marginal failures across many other key performance indicators, including response times to mental health crisis referrals. The figures are based on data recorded between May 2023 and May 2024.
Staff recruitment “is still a challenge” for mental health services, said Mr Mafu, despite an increase in investment.
Mr Mafu said the trust would work more collaboratively with local organisations to help patients who do not “come to the mainstream services”, including those not registered with a GP.
Iola Isaac, play project manager at Tufnell Park’s Hilldrop Community Centre, said she thought this collaboration would help. “Community centres are the frontline. They see people, they meet people on the ground. I think it would be great to have a triage system.”
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