Agenda item

Purpose of the report:  Policy Development and Review 

This report is to update the Board on the improvements in practice made by partners for people experiencing a mental health crisis, since signing the mental health crisis care concordat.  The report also provides information on the changes to the mental health code of practice.

Witnesses:

Jane Bremner, Senior Commissioning Manager

Sheila Jones, Head of Countywide Services

Stan Masawi, Home Treatment Team Manager, NHS Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation Trust (SABP)

Gary Dicken, Senior Approved Mental Health Professional (ASC & SABP)

Laura Hoyles, Senior Social Worker, HOPE Service

Key points raised during the discussions:

1.    The Council and partners have successfully bid for funding that has totalled over £2 million for projects for people with mental health needs. It was highlighted that Surrey and Boarders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) had recruited three members for the Aldershot Safe Haven and building work for the new 24/7 hospital was to be completed on 18 December 2015.

2.    The Home Treatment Manager explained that Safe Havens were a service for people experiencing a mental health crisis and aimed to avoid Police contact or hospital admission. The service in Aldershot had been extended during the winter months because the services have managed the finances well and had successfully provided support from 8am to 11pm on weekdays. The Home Treatment Manager stated that the service supports the case workers as well and that the service has received praise and commendation for its work and the results produced.

3.    The Home Treatment Manager advised that there were around 15 to 25 people entering and leaving the service per day with most cases being repeat users however referrals are set to expand as the service broadens its publicity. Further to this, the Home Treatment Team Manager commented that they had three members of staff to work with around 25 people.

4.    The Board queried the development of the Safe Haven model and were advised that want to expand the service for more Safe Havens as well as the continuing peer support for successful way of working. The Senior Commissioning Manager stated that the Surrey Heath Haven is due to open in mid-November. The Senior Commissioning Manager explained that the havens are intended to be in each CCG area due to funding.

5.    The Board raised a concern that the Chief Constable of Surrey Police had notified the Police and Crime Panel that there were still people with mental health issues that were inappropriately consuming Police time and resources. Furthermore, the Board heard that Surrey Police had not known that the Safe Haven facilities were in place to help those with mental health problems suggesting a need for improved communication between the mental health services and Surrey Police.

The Home Treatment Team Manager noted that Hampshire Police was aware of the service as well as the ambulance trust. The Home Treatment Team Manager confirmed that there would be more communications to ensure the decrease in police involvement. The Strategic Director for Adult Social Care commented that the service had been working with the Chief Constable for a few years and that the statistics have significantly improved.

6.    In response to a question raised by a Board Member regarding to the response of the out of hours service, the Senior Commissioning Manager noted that they are working with partners and the 999 and 111 centres to deal with patients when the service is out-of-hours.

Another Board Member also praised Safe Havens and raised the issue that arrests could escalate mental health problems in which Safe Havens reverse those effects.

A Board Member raised the concern of funding and the service’s ability to self fund as well. The Senior Commissioning Manager noted that the plan was to reduce admissions to hospitals and to reduce police deployment however the service was not self-funded.

A Board Member noted that there were not enough beds in which the Head of County Wide Services responded that the beds are mostly available to adults as the children were often placed in foster or care homes however the service was monitoring the number of beds. The Vice Chairman echoed the Board Member’s concerns that children are placed far away from their homes due to a limited number of beds as well as minimal availability of a place to stay if those with mental illnesses are evicted from their homes.

Recommendations:

1.    That the Scrutiny Board reviews the roll out of the Safe Havens across the remaining five Clinical Commissioning Group areas in Surrey including the financial sustainability of these projects.

2.    That an update is provided on the implementation of the Single Point of Access Project.

3.    That there is liaison between Surrey Police and Hampshire Police on good practice usage of the Aldershot Safe Haven for people in mental health crisis [To be taken forward by the Scrutiny Board Chairman and Police and Crime Panel Chairman].

Actions/further information to be provided:

            None.

Board next steps:

            None.