Forward from the Chief Executive

I am delighted to have been invited to write the foreword to this, our 2019-2024 Estates Strategy.

There has never been a better time to work in mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services and it has never been more important to drive up the quality of everything we do.

I started my career as a Registered Mental Nurse (RMN) in what was the first purpose-built asylum in the country. It dated back to the 17th century and it was grim. The many corridors were long, the windows small, it was all dormitory accommodation and little, or no, privacy and dignity.

That was 35 years ago and thank goodness things have changed in ways that would have been almost unimaginable then. But there are still remnants of those days and we know that nationally, and in our own organisation, some of our estate is not fit for purpose and that we should do better.

At last, there is recognition at national level that it is discriminatory to accept lower standards for the people who use our services and a determination matching our own in Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) to deliver the very best care, in environments that anyone would be happy to use. Only a few days ago all mental health CEOs were written to by the CQC’s mental health lead emphasising the increased focus of the CQC in the coming years to ensure mental health accommodation is properly investment in and maintained to a high standard.

That is why this strategy is so important. It not only sets out our ambition and our priorities, it links them straight back to people; those who use our services and those of us who work in them.

This will not be a dusty document that once ratified, is forgotten. This will be a roadmap for improvement ensuring we do what we say we will. It will drive our ambitious programme and ensure that we make the very best use of our estate, enabling us to deliver the very best care in fit-for-purpose environments.

It is my pleasure to commend it to you and to invite you, as always, to get involved in making a reality the changes the strategy describes.

Helen Greatorex
Chief Executive