Mary O'Hara, writing in today's Society Guardian (Wednesday July 12, 2006) reports on efforts being made by staff at the Cambridge YPS which is earmarked for closure.
The consultant psychiatrist Shankarnarayan Srinath and his staff have decided that they will raise the money to save the YPS service from closing. YPS staff are reported to have accepted the decision by Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire PCT that they are unlikely to reverse the decision. The YPS is reported to have until September 30 to raise at least £170,000 a target that Srinath and his staff accept to be a difficult one.
There used to be an adage that said that if you like the service you provide, would you buy it? Raising £170,000 is not the real problem. How will the YPS secure a short-term survival strategy for say, at least three years. No one will be able to buy the YPS if it is not up for sale but Srinath and his staff could always consider going it alone, legal and proprietary safeguards permitting.
Public Eye is keen to investigate whether YPS staff will be able to cope with the phenomenal change that is being imposed on them.
