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.

Update on the Community Mental Health Services Review

In the summer of 2017, the Council and CCG started to review the way in which mental health services need to be delivered for the population of B&NES.

The review is being carried out in four key stages:

·  Phase 1: Analyse and Plan (May 2017 – Aug 2017)

·  Phase 2: Design and Specify (August 2017 – January 2018)

·  Phase 3: Develop final service model (February 2018 – February 2019)

This is the phase we are currently in. We have six working groups who are looking at everything people are telling us and developing detailed options for how community mental health services could be delivered in the future.

·  Phase 4: Implementation and Delivery (March 2019 – April 2019 onwards)

Next steps

Further engagement will now take place with key groups and once complete,

the draft service models will be created and formally consulted on with the public.  It is expected that a final service model will be developed and put in place from April 2019.

Homecare Review

Homecare services are currently provided in Bath & North East Somerset by a range of local providers, who deliver in the region of 140,000 hours of homecare per annum.

We are currently undertaking a review of homecare services, working closely with Virgin Care in readiness for a new homecare pathway and contracts from July 2019.

Between June and September 2018 the project team have been undertaking a period of research, evidence gathering, engagement and co-design with key stakeholders. 

Possible Future Models

We have produced a draft possible future service design for Bath & North East Somerset which has been well-received by both providers and commissioners.  We will also be working to develop these ideas with a group of carers, via the Carers’ Centre.  

Next Steps

Once we have finished this period of co-design of a possible future model, we intend to make it available to the public for comment and suggestions, taking on board their feedback before finalising the service model which, subject to approval, is planned to go live in autumn 2019.

Reablement Service Review

Reablement services in B&NES are commissioned through the Better Care Fund, and include three key pathways:

·  Home First (from hospital)

·  Admission Avoidance (to hospital)

·  Planned Reablement

They are provided by Virgin Care, as our prime provider, with additional

Reablement Worker capacity commissioned from 3 Strategic Partners: Care Watch, Care South and Somerset Care.

Commissioners are currently leading a project to review and redesign the existing Reablement Service, gathering together evidence on existing strengths and opportunities for development both in-year and longer term.  We are working closely with Virgin Care, as our prime provider, to design a new service to come into effect from autumn 2019. 

Planned engagement and next steps

We are holding a service design workshop in October to draw together providers, commissioners and key local stakeholders, and develop an outline model for future services.

We will seek to undertake targeted engagement with people who have used the service, in order to hear their views.

When we have developed a draft service model we will undertake consultation with the public in order to seek their feedback before finalising our thinking.

The new service is due to go live in autumn 2019.

Keynsham Kindness Festival

The festival will aim to be lots of little events in various venues over a number of days between 3rd & 13th November based on the overall theme which is about how kindness affects wellbeing.

Budget

Budget pressures are beginning to level off, but this needs to be balanced by unknown upcoming issues that may arise through the winter period.

Councillor Tim Ball commented that he was pleased to see as part of the Community Mental Health Services Review that wellbeing support for young people aged 16-25 was looking to be improved. He asked what work was being undertaken to improve access for those of a younger age.

Councillor Pritchard replied that he felt that schools had a role to play in identifying and enabling access to services. He gave an example of a presentation from a recent Chew Valley Area Forum where two local Deputy Head Teachers are dedicated to support the mental health of their pupils and seeking to spot any early signs.

Councillor Ball said that this was indeed a great example, but did not feel that this was the case across the whole of B&NES. He asked that Councillor Pritchard discuss the matter further with Councillor Paul May, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People to see if some ‘best practise’ measures can be established.

Councillor Pritchard said that he would raise the issue with Councillor May.

Councillor Robin Moss stated that he did not think that schools were the sole answer to the problems of mental health in young people. He said that community services such as Off The Record provide a great resource of support and counselling.

The Director for Integrated Health & Care Commissioning commented that a discussion took place at the Health & Wellbeing Board on 25^th September 2018 relating to the mental health of children & young people. She said that the Board received a presentation from two transgender young people.  She advised that the Board discussed support for the transition of young people into adulthood and adult services and that the role of community and voluntary sector was also raised. She added that the Board agreed to discuss the matter further at its next meeting to understand more about what is already being done to support the mental health of children and young people and to discuss the focus of the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board in this important area.

Dr Ian Orpen added that the challenge around mental health services was recognised and that in terms of CAMHS there has been a shift towards early intervention. He added that there is now a range of ways to interact with young people within this service and that a bid for extra funding relating to CAMHS has been submitted.

Councillor Robin Moss commented with regard to the Homecare Review and asked whether the upcoming Bath Clean Air announcement would have any impact on workers using their cars to travel into / through Bath.

Councillor Pritchard replied that he had raised this matter with colleagues within the Cabinet and that his points had been met in a broadly positive manner. He added that discussions were ongoing.

Councillor Robin Moss commented that he would like to see the Council pursue further preventative work as set out in the Wigan Deal and highlighted recently by the LGA.

Councillor Lin Patterson said that a good local bus service was required to help with the process of reablement.

Councillor Tim Ball queried whether the additional funding bid for CAMHS would be better received by the Trauma Recovery Centre. He asked Councillor Pritchard to join him on a visit to the centre.

Councillor Pritchard agreed to visit the centre.

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