Further to our own and many other peoples' concerns about the length of the consultation period on Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust's Mental Health Proposals, we have received the following letter from its Chief Executive following a meeting of the Trust Board.  The period has now been extended to a full 12 weeks so will end on 11th August.

28^th June 2006

Dear Colleague

Consultation on changes to Mental Health Services

I am writing to let you know the outcome of the Board meeting yesterday evening.  The Trust Board met to consider the Overview and Scrutiny Committee request that the consultation period should be extended.  I wrote to you on 16^th June to explain the background to the initial agreement by the OSC in May to a shortened consultation period and then the OSC's decision in June to seek an extension. 

Members of the Board considered carefully the request made by the OSC and also the feedback that had been received in some of the public meetings and from some partner organisations that a longer period of consultation would be helpful in enabling organisations and individuals to respond to the Trust's proposals.  Members of the Board also had in mind the real financial pressures that had prompted the initial proposals to the OSC that the consultation period should be condensed – that is to say we would undertake the expected amount of public consultation activity in a shortened time period. 

Weighing these issues in the balance members of the Board recognised that extending the consultation period makes it highly likely that we will need to take action to further reduce spending this year.  Having considered all of the representations received, the Board decided to extend the consultation period so that it will end on Friday 11^th August.   Organisations and individuals wishing to make responses should therefore ensure that they are received by the Trust by that date. 

The Trust has agreed arrangements with the OSC to enable the outcome of consultation to be shared with and considered by the OSC during the week of 21^st August and the Trust Board will meet on Thursday 31^st August to decide whether the proposals are to be implemented. 

I expect to write to statutory partners and interested parties next week to share the themes that have emerged in the public meeting phase of the consultation programme. 

Yours sincerely

JEFF JAMES

Chief Executive