Agenda item

PRIORITY STATUS UPDATE: CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN SURREY

Purpose of the report: This is a supplementary report to the Improving Children’s Health and Wellbeing update report, to specifically address children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing in Surrey.

 

Minutes:

Declarations of interest:

None

 

Witnesses:

Mark Barratt, Interim Director of Quality Assurance, CSF Commissioning and Prevention

Diane McCormack, Associate Director for Children & Learning Disabilities, NHS Surrey wide

 

Key points raised during the discussion:

 

1.    The Chairman made the following introductory comments;

 

·         Demand for some mental health services has significantly increased during the last two years and in particular children and young people requiring diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and ASD (autism spectrum disorder). Surrey County Council has been working in partnership with NHS Clinical Commissioning Group leaders and Surrey and Borders Partnership to address the lengthy waits that have developed and were on target to see all children and young people on the waiting list for CAMHS services by 5 October 2018.

 

·         The work to ensure that services were sustainable going forward so children and young people were able to receive timely treatment required a whole system approach involving health, social care, education, and the voluntary sector.

 

·         An independent review of services, commissioned by Surrey County Council, CCGs and Surrey and Borders Partnership,  had been undertaken this summer which found that CAMHS services were strong in parts such as the crisis, urgent, hope and eating disorders services, however overall capacity was too low for the number of referrals.

 

·         There would be a meeting today to discuss the findings of the review and to start planning the way forward together.

 

·         Surrey and Borders Partnership would continue to provide CAMHS Services during the course of their contract and it was acknowledged the significant work that has taken place this summer to address the numbers of children and young people waiting for assessment

 

2.    The Interim Director of Quality and Assurance, CSF Commissioning and Prevention informed the Board that the service were in week 12 of the CAMHS Interim Plan which was due to end on 21 September 2018. It was highlighted that waiting lists/referrals had shown improvements and five workstreams had been developed to address these issues.

 

3.    Members were pleased to see children and young people at the front and centre of engagement in relation to the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Charter and queried whether engagement was extended to children and young people who struggled to access the service. The Associate Director for Children & Learning Disabilities, assured the Board that engagement levels were far-reaching. It was explained that going forward the Joint Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy would include schools.

 

4.    Members reiterated that parts of the CAMHS contract had performed well and consideration should be placed in the message being portrayed to children and young people.

 

Actions/ further information to be provided:

 

None

 

RESOLVED:

 

The Board;

 

a)    Noted progress to date on addressing performance issues through the CAMHS Interim Plan.

 

b)    Noted emerging conclusions from the Joint Independent review which will inform future commissioning options.

 

c)    Provided strategic oversight and approval of the emerging principles for the Joint Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, including the Children and Young People’s mental Health Charter, which will be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board in December for approval.

 

Supporting documents: