Issue - meetings

This paper outlines what has taken place since the B&NES Mental Health Review, the changes to the range of mental health services in place for children, young people and adults, and the transformation work now underway to improve peoples’ experience of services and mental health outcomes.

The Senior Commissioning Manager for Specialist Services introduced this report to the Panel, a summary is set out below.

The B&NES Mental Health Review ran from 2017 to 2019, culminating in a

formal public consultation, then a full business case approved by the Care and

Health Board in March 2019.

The key recommendations of the Review included:

·  Improving access and care coordination.

·  Delivering a more integrated, preventative and personalised approaches that people asked for.

·  Developing a stepped approach to crisis avoidance with the creation of a B&NES Place of Calm (a comfortable and calm setting which delivers

practical and emotional support) and a Wellbeing House to provide preventative support for people with low to moderate mental health needs.

·  Adopting the Thrive model for the delivery of mental health services

An All-age Mental Health Transformation Strategy was created by commissioners, partners and people with lived experience for B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) in 2018/2019. The Strategy is based on the Thrive model of delivery.

The Strategy and Thrive model are delivered locally through the B&NES Mental Health Collaborative. This is the delivery group for embedding joint working across a wide range of organisations.

A Place of Calm (called Breathing Space in B&NES) was set up by Bath Mind in early 2020. Due to Covid19 and issues securing suitable premises, the service initially opened virtually, offering telephone support to those who were at risk of escalating into mental health crisis. From January 2021 the service will move to a mixed model of delivery, working from new premises.

A Wellbeing House was set up by Curo operating 5 days a week. However,

additional short term funding (BSW Winter Pressures and Covid19) has enabled both Bath Mind and Curo to work together to increase staffing, extend the opening hours and to operate the Wellbeing House as a step up /step down model catering for people with more complex needs during the pandemic. This has been very successful and a model we are keen to maintain in B&NES.

Covid19 has had a huge impact on individuals, their families and services alike

and has led to new emerging demands on services. A BSW ‘Heart of the Crisis’

virtual listening event was held in October with people with lived experience and frontline staff, to sense check how people were experiencing services during the pandemic.

During the pandemic, staff in mental health services across the statutory and

voluntary sector have regularly reported significant increases in the acuity and

severity of mental health presentations for both young people and adults. There is evidence to show that individuals being detained to inpatient settings are needing to remain there for a longer period due to the acuity on admission. Services are also seeing an increase for individuals who may have not been receiving secondary mental health services prior to detention or referral.

Locally commissioned services have reported increasing activity as children and young people have returned to school with increased levels of anxiety. Supporting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64