In May 2020, Combined Healthcare was proud to launch a new online facility as part of its ongoing commitment to openness, transparency and innovation.
Using our unique ‘Ask the Board’ facility anyone can use a webform – available by clicking here – to make a comment or suggestion or ask a question in advance of each Open Trust Board meeting. A response is provided as part of the Chair’s Report to the Board meeting, which are publicly available as videos shortly after the meeting.
The archive of previously asked questions and our responses is provided below, together with a link to the relevant filmed response.
How to search the archive
You can search all responses or filter by the name of the person asking the question or a date range of Board meetings.
You can also do a full word search of any comments, questions or suggestions.
To clear a search and begin again, use the “Reset” button.
How to see the details of an individual response
To read the details of our response, click on the questioner’s name.
To view our Chair’s video response, click on the link below the question.
If you have any questions about “Ask the Board Online”, contact the Communications Team at communications@combined.nhs.uk
Maureen Roberts
Munro's
I am confused about the reply from the Board at the meeting held on the13/01/22 regarding the questions asked by both Servivce Users and Carers about the future of Kniveden and I hope that the following information will clarify for the Board what has taken place at Kniveden
Since 2020
the Ashcombe Centre has been activity trying to remove all of the service users from Kniveden,and we the Service users and carers have been trying to change the the decision that had been made to remove ALL of the service users from Kniveden
The Ashcombe CENTRE had always made it clear that once the 8 week course had been completed they would all be discharged and it would be up to them to find a suitable volunteering opportunity and if there was any deterioration of their Mental Health then they should seek help from their own GPS,it was also suggested that the reason they were being discharged was they had all become dependant on the service delivered by Kniveden,THE ASHCOMBE CENTRE HAS IN AFFECT BY NOT ONLY TAKEN FROM SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY A SERVICE THAT PROVIDED A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT THEY HAD THEY ALSO WERE PREPARED TO ALSO TAKE AWAY THE FRIENDSHIPS AND SUPPORT THEY GAVE TO EACH OTHER,Kniveden has always been a low cost service to deliver and they also brought a good income each year with the contracts they had with the Trust but other organisation who used the services provided
When the County Council announced they were selling the land I could not stand-by and watch the service users spiral into relapse so I found a venue and took 30 there following their enforced discharge from Kniveden,they were all discharged in week commencing 14/02/22
The Trust has kindly paid the rent for the next 12months and the insurance and we are extremely grateful but the Trust has made it clear they want no further involvement with Munro's but the reality is without the continued support we are receiving from the support worker from Kniveden Guy Massey we are going to fail and also we need help to get some funding as I have had to supply the money to buy games and craft items and to date I have personally have spent in excess of a thousand pounds just to provide the minimum we need to operate
I HOPE GOING FORWARD THAT THE TRUST CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT GUY MASSEY HAS CREATED AT TITTERSWORTH FOR THE SERVICE USERS AND THEY ALLOW HIM TO HELP US CREATE A SERVICE AT MUNRO'S I WOULD ALSO ASK THE BOARD TO RECOGNISE THAT THE ASHCOMBE CENTRE HAS BEHAVED IN A DISGRACEFUL MANNER TO BOTH THE SERVICE USERS AND CARES IN THEIR DECISION TO DISCHARGE IN EXCESS OF 50 PLUS PEOPLE AND OFFER AN A IMMEDIATE APOLOGY TO EVERYONE CONCERNED FOR THE HIGH HANDED AND UNCARING WAY THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED, EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION AND THE FACT THAT SOMEONE HAS CONCEALED THE TRUTH FROM BOTH THE TRUST AND THE BOARD SHOULD BE CALLED TO ACCOUNT