Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Russell Patton, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, CNTW, and Kate O’Brien, Senior Head of Commissioning, Northumberland CCG.

To receive a presentation from Russell Patton, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, CNTW, Dr. Keda Kale, CNTW, and Kate O’Brien, Senior Head of Commissioning, Northumberland CCG.

Points raised included:-

·            New additional funding (£750,000, £1.2 million then £2.25 million over the next three years) had been approved for the next three years for community mental health which would flow to local systems primary care and community hubs, to recruit new staff and to commission new VCSE services.

·            Key Deliverables Long Term Planwere:-

·            Core Model – community based offer redesigning community mental health services in and around Primary Care Network.  A recovery college had been launched mental health voluntary care organisations would be together under one roof and be able to engage in courses and with opportunities in their own area.

·            Dedicated Focus – Improving access and treatment for adults and older adults with ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis in need of mental health rehabilitation and eating disorders.  These pathways accounted for most of the deaths in mental health services.

·            Physical Health – increasing numbers of those with serious mental illness who received a physical health check.

·            Individual Placement Support – help for those with mental health illness to stay at work or find employment.

·            Early Intervention in Psychosis – identification of young people who were vulnerable to developing serious mental illness.

·            The transformation plan looked at the area’s priorities, how to deliver them in partnership with the Council and local mental health providers and other providers around the mental health pathways.  Joint Strategic Needs had been looked at along with local pathways, the understanding of CMHT, different ways of funding.  Northumberland’s geographical differences to other partners were significant.  Shared priorities had been agreed along with looking at different ways of doing things such as collaboration and integration.

·            Bids for additional funding had been successfully made to improve community mental health and access pathways.  Members were informed of a number of initiatives across the county.. 

·            New Roles and Integrated Posts -   Funding had been secured for allow the appointment of one post per year for each primary care network with under 100,000 population for the next three years.  For CNTW this could equate to 110 posts, however, there was the challenge of where these staff could be found and encouraging them to move to the area. 

·            The CCG and County Council were working at ‘place’ and collaboration was at the heart of everything.  Joint working and management was being discussed along with the possibility of formal partnerships.  Secondment arrangements were being used where appropriate.

·            Community Model Principles – Dr. Keda Kale explained that following the publication of the Long Term Plan, the Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults had also been published outlining the key principles and what the Trust wanted to transform.  The model of care used in Trieste, Italy, had been widely studied and its themes were the same or similar to those in CNTW’s framework

·            Conclusion – the full impact of COVID was yet to be understood but Northumberland had pulled together to maintain services, transform delivery and commission new services to meet new demands.  The community transformation programme was well underway.  The Recovery College and wider wellbeing network was an essential building block.

The following comments were made in response to queries and comments from Members:-

·            The Recovery College was in two parts; an online digital format rather than a physical building to allow access from all over the county and it was planned to go live later in the month.  It would offer opportunities to join classes, courses and education.  Courses would link in with other VCS opportunities.  Discussions were underway regarding the possibility of physical hubs in the county or a roving model for the more rural areas.  Working in Northumberland was a challenge but also allowed for creativity.

·            The Trust recognised that it needed to work with the Local Authorities in the North East to encourage potential staff to come and work in the area.

·            Healthwatch had been very involved in the creation of the Recovery College and it was known that Northumberland residents were in favour of a community based mental health service.  The community and voluntary sector involvement would be what made the initiative succeed.  Any member who was aware of a local community organisation was encouraged to link them into the Recovery College.

·            The Long Term Plan was clear about targets for dealing with patients.  There was more flexibility with the community mental health framework and transformation and, in some instances, it could be difficult to wrap a metric round.    Service user outcomes were just as important.

·            The newly created posts would act as a conduit between primary and secondary care and that it would be a smooth transition enabling the experts to come to the patient. 

·            Good, robust medication regimes worked well, however, medication was not necessary for all patients.  Issues often resulted from non-compliance with prescribed medication.

·            It was acknowledged that it was important to listen, learn and make changes to services where appropriate.  Regarding hospital beds, the acuity level and increased significantly over the last 12 months.  Beds were available in other parts of the organisation should none be available within Northumberland at a particular time. 

·            The crisis service operated 24/7.  Everything would be done to enable a patient to be moved into an appropriate setting as quickly as possible. 

·            The CNTW was an honest, open and frank organisation and it was always willing to make any changes found to be necessary.

·            CNTW was part of the Systems Transformation Board (STB) along with the Northumbria Healthcare Trust and CCG.  Issues such as the recruitment to the new posts was also considered by the STB.

·            Directories of services were being updated and would be available for use by the Recovery College.

·            There would be a communications plan for ‘Open Minds Northumberland’ which would launch later in August 2021.  Further information would be made available in the forthcoming Members’ briefing.

The Chair thanked Russell Patton, Dr. Keda Kale and Kate O’Brien

RESOLVED that the presentation be received.