Agenda item

To consider a report by the Service Manager: South Locality (copy enclosed) which highlighted progress on the actions required in response to the delivery plan in Together for Mental Health and shares some of the challenges and priorities for partners over the coming year.

                                                                                                            9.35 a.m.

A copy of a report by the Service Manager: South Locality had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The report highlighted progress on the actions required in response to the delivery plan for “Together for Mental Health” (TMH) attached at Appendix 1, and outlined some of the challenges and priorities for partners over the coming year.  It detailed information on the recently established North Wales Partnership Board and its role in supporting and overseeing adherence to and progress against the delivery plan.  The report outlined the submission by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to the WG of the annual report on TMH and highlighted the actions recommended for 2014/15.

In October, 2012 WG published TMH, a whole population strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales.  The vision in the document and Sustainable Social Services provided an ambitious mental health agenda for the next few years with a clear emphasis on shared responsibility between the health service and local government.  Following consultation with stakeholders WG had developed 6 high level outcomes within Together for Mental Health.  These had been detailed in the report, and further developed in the document which identified more detailed outcomes, and included:-

TMH was supported by a Delivery Plan which set out details of the actions which WG and partner agencies would take to deliver the plan.  It identified the contributions required from WG, local government, the health service, third sector and a range of others including for example housing, education, training and lifelong learning, employers, and the criminal justice system.  The final chapter of the document set out how the strategy would work at National and local level and how the new National Partnership Board would ensure its delivery.

          In June, 2013 BCUHB established the North Wales Mental Health Partnership Board (NWMHPB) to oversee the delivery and implementation of TMH and its delivery plan, and in October, 2013 submitted the annual report to WG.  Appendix 2 included the respective Terms of Reference.  The Annual Report included progress to date and reference to some of the challenges and priorities for the coming year, together with, evidence of the ongoing commitment to working jointly with health and other partners to deliver the necessary actions.

During the ensuing discussion the strong working relationship in the field of mental health between BCUHB and Denbighshire's Social Services Department at service-user level was commended.  As were the principles and actions in the strategy and Action Plan which were endorsed.  However, a number of concerns were raised regarding local delivery of mental health services to adults, children and the elderly.  The main concerns related to:-

·  the waiting times experienced by children and young people in accessing the services of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) which had the potential to impact on the individual's education, BCUHB officers agreed to prepare an information report for members on how the money recently awarded by the Welsh Government (WG) to the Service would be used to improve CAMHS waiting lists and other services.  They also agreed to provide information on the progress achieved to date, and anticipated future progress, in rolling out the availability of CAMHS trained staff in all A&E Departments in North Wales.

·  the number of Welsh speaking Mental Health trained staff working in each local authority area, particularly the number of Welsh speaking psychiatrists.  BCUHB officials agreed to provide information on this, including the specialist area of work in which they worked.

·  the delay encountered in re-opening Tawelfan Ward at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd following its closure in late 2013 on quality and safety of patient care grounds,  and in receiving the independent investigator's report into the matter.  Members were assured that the continued closure of the ward was not a resource saving measure, it was entirely a patient safety matter and the ward would re-opened in due course.

BCUHB officers:

·  gave assurances that all possible steps, including robust monitoring arrangements and Royal College of Psychiatrists accreditation status, were being taken in a bid to avert similar situations to those which had arisen at Tawelfan, occurring again.  However, nobody could possibly give a cast iron guarantee against similar situations happening in future.

· Members requested assurances that all possible measures were being taken to mitigate the risk of patients being subjected to any type of harassment or bullying in BCUHB establishments.

·  BCUHB spent less per head of population on mental health services than any other health board in Wales.

·  the Committee were given assurances that the new health centre on the site of the former Royal Alexandra Hospital in Rhyl would have a designated mental health services ward for older people, which would have approximately 18 beds and staffed by a mix of suitably qualified people to provide the right type of care.

·  the Ablett Unit would remain as the Mental Health Service's Unit for Conwy and Denbighshire with intensive psychiatric care services being provided at Bangor and Wrexham as at present.

·  an outline was provided of work underway with the third sector in a bid to 'pool' services for armed services veterans, this would enable staff to signpost patients to the most appropriate organisation to assist with their support needs.

·  details were given of how the Council's Housing and Social Services Departments could assist and support vulnerable people who live in local authority housing, some with mental health problems, from being bullied or taken advantage of.

The Committee requested that the concerns outlined above regarding Tawelfan Ward be raised at the next meeting of the Denbighshire Health and Social Care Board which was due to be held at the end of April, 2014.

RESOLVED – that subject to the above observations to note the continued commitment to partnership working with BCUHB and other partners across North Wales in respect of the delivery of mental health services generally and more specifically  in relation to Together for Mental Health.