Agenda item

The Cabinet Member will update the Select Committee on any relevant issues. Select Committee members may ask questions on the update provided.

Councillor Vic Pritchard, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Wellbeing addressed the Select Committee. A copy of the update can be found on their Minute Book and as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

Help shape the future of community mental health services in B&NES

The Council and CCG are reviewing the way community mental health services are delivered locally and are inviting the public to help.

Both organisations are responsible for commissioning mental health services in Bath and North East Somerset, and they are looking at the way things are currently done to determine what is working well and identify any improvements needed.

The review of community mental health services launched last summer when over 60 face-to-face meetings and focus groups were held and more than 100 survey responses received. People told the Council and CCG that community mental health services must focus on preventing people from escalating into crisis, drive parity of esteem (equal value) between medical and social interventions, and make sure that services work together more effectively.

Six working groups, made up of staff from the Council and CCG, Virgin Care, service providers, voluntary sector representatives and Community Champions – who represent the public – are now working on the next stage of the review. This will involve holding workshops in June 2018, to which people who use services, those who deliver services and interested members of the public are invited.

For information about the review, please visit the CCG’s website, email banes.yourvoice@nhs.net or call 01225 831 800 and ask for the Communications and Engagement Team.

Virgin Care Community Services One-Year On

Between January and December 2015 the Council and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) carried out a bold and ambitious review of community health and care services for children, young people and adults. 

The your care, your way community services review looked at the wide range of services providing care and support in people’s homes and communities and the experiences of the people using them.

The results of the consultation were used in the procurement process to test how the bidders intended to deliver the priorities that matter to local people.  Virgin Care Services Ltd (VCSL) were confirmed as the successful bidder and awarded the “Prime Provider” contract.  Under this model, Virgin Care has overall responsibility for the delivery and coordination of services but it can also sub-contract with specialist, third sector providers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to ensure that existing knowledge and experience is not lost.

During 2017/18, Virgin Care was required to begin implementing their ambitious transformation programme in order to improve service delivery and achieve efficiencies to enable greater sustainability in future years. 

There are a number of other transformation work streams developing at pace, for example the reablement pathway review and the mental health pathway review. Both programmes of work are looking to improve the offer for people in B&NES while delivering efficiencies, and making the service sustainable for future years.

Overall, whilst Virgin is positively progressing some areas of transformational change, including the implementation of the “Three Conversations” model, there are areas of transformation, particularly Integrated Care Record and Care Coordination where less progress has been made. 

Councillor Robin Moss asked regarding the Mental Health Pathway Review whether local plans are being informed by National Strategy and Policy, particularly in relation to changes to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) legal and policy framework.

The Director for Integrated Commissioning replied that the Council does take account of national work and this will include changes to the Mental Capacity Act/DoLS provisions when published.

Councillor Moss asked what can the Council do if there are recurring problems identified with the services provided through Virgin Care.

The Director for Integrated Commissioning replied that there are contractual levers that can be used when needed.

Councillor Geoff Ward asked if the Cabinet Member would like to comment on the work to establish better Air Quality within B&NES.

Councillor Pritchard said that he was aware that certain areas of Bath were being monitored as well as Farrington Gurney and Temple Cloud. He added that the Council were working on establishing a Clean Air Charging Zone that's capable of reducing NO2 in the city by 2021 at the latest.

The Director for Integrated Commissioning suggested that the Select Committee could seek comment on this work from the Director of Public Health in his next update to them in July.

Councillor Cherry Beath asked how Virgin Care are monitored.

Councillor Pritchard replied that commissioners are constantly monitoring their work. He added that the first 100 days passed without significant issue.

The Chair asked if the Select Committee could receive an update on their services following on from the 100 day report they received in July 2017.

The Director for Integrated Commissioning confirmed that she would discuss this further with Kirsty Matthews, Managing Director of Virgin Care’s Bath and North East Somerset Community Health and Care Services so that it can be incorporated into the Committee’s workplan.

Councillor Lin Patterson said that she challenged that the transition of services did not pass without incident as the debacle relating to patient’s records was a concern to many.

The Chair thanked Councillor Pritchard for his update on behalf of the Select Committee.