Concerns over whether people can access mental health services in north Ceredigion are being monitored, a patient watchdog has said.

Questions have been raised about the availability of services after it emerged that David Fleet, who was sentenced to a secure mental unit after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, had been assessed as being suitable for treatment in the community, but was said to have struggled to receive the help he needed.

Fleet stabbed pensioner Lewis Stone three times in February, with Mr Stone sadly passing away in May.

Concerns over whether Fleet had been receiving adequate care and if there was access to crisis services if needed have already been raised with the Ceredigion committee of the Hywel Dda Community Health Council.

The chair of the CHC, Mansell Bennett, said that, while the CHC couldn’t comment on individual cases, the body was monitoring mental health services and possible changes under a shake-up of mental health services across Hywel Dda.

Mr Bennett said: “Recently we have heard from people about the concerns they have about accessing mental health care or getting support when they are in crisis.

“People tell us that the problems are getting worse.

“The health board is making changes to mental health services which are intended to make a different in the long term, nevertheless, at the moment there are issues which we are monitoring."

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