Mental health team staff suspended as Trust investigates 'areas of concern'

A number of community mental health employees have been suspended.

This week it was confirmed that a ‘small’ amount of staff working for the Bedfordshire and Luton Mental Health and Social Care Partnership NHS Trust (BLPT) had been ‘temporarily suspended’.

It comes as the merger with the South Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust is almost complete.

A spokesperson for the BLPT could not confirm why or how many staff had been suspended or where they were based.

However she said that they were from various community mental health teams across the area.

She added: “The Trust confirms that in line with our capability policy and procedures a small number of staff have been temporarily suspended while we look into some areas of concern that have been raised.

“Due to staff confidentiality and as this is an ongoing investigation we cannot comment further on the current situation.

“The Trust also wishes to confirm that, in conjunction with our commissioners and local authority partners, a comprehensive area wide review is taking place looking at the premises from which the Trust provides clinical and non-clinical services.

“Once the review is completed, we will be making recommendations and, where appropriate, these will be subject to public consultation.” Last year we revealed that the BLPT was the first NHS Trust to invite other NHS organisations to take it over.

It is anticipated that the new Trust will become operational on April 1.