Considering the impact of the pandemic on mental illness and mental health services, and the Surrey Mental Health Partnership Board (MHPB) review and consequent improvement plan agreed by Surrey Health and Wellbeing Board (and its delivery).
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Professor Helen Rostill (Deputy Chief Executive, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP)), and Co-Chair of the Surrey Health and Wellbeing Board’s Mental Health Delivery Board), Sally Heath (Director of Business and Innovation, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust) and Sue Murphy (Chief Executive of Catalyst) to the meeting. He advised the Committee that the item was an opportunity to consider the impact of the pandemic on mental illness and mental health services and to hear about the Surrey Mental Health Partnership Board (MHPB) review and consequent improvement plan agreed by Surrey Health and Wellbeing Board.
Professor Helen Rostill, Sally Heath, and Sue Murphy gave a presentation to help explain the Mental Health Improvement Programme (MHIP). The background and context of the MHIP, its delivery architecture, and its governance were outlined to the Committee. Next the progress and ambitions of the programme areas of the MHIP were described to the meeting.
The Committee was advised that the recommendations from the MHPB review had been mapped into ten programme areas; specifically, three core delivery programmes (early intervention and prevention; no bouncing and improving access; and working together to break down barriers) and seven support and enabling programmes (digital and data; communications and engagement; how we work together; resourcing; workforce plan; training and awareness; and mental health system governance).
The meeting was presented with examples to illustrate the focus for the three core delivery programme areas, including the formation of Surrey Workforce and Wellbeing Collaborative, the design of an engagement programme by Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) and the Independent Mental Health Network, the GP Community of Practice initiative, the 24/7 safe haven pilot, an independent review of SABP adult single-point of access, and the successful funding application for a tier 4 CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) unit within the county. Further examples shared with the meeting included the GPimhs (General Practise integrated mental health service) community-based model of mental health care, the establishment of a Young Adults Reference Group to better support the transition from children’s to adult mental health services, the Epsom pilot of secondary care integration, the Community Connections in-reach service pilot at Farnham Road Hospital and the Abraham Cowley Unit, the establishment of Surrey Mental Health Alliance by April 2022, and projects to inform the culture changes necessary to improve working within and across organisations.
The Committee was advised of work to assess resourcing for emotional wellbeing and mental health services across Surrey, the launch of the Multi-Agency Emotional and Mental Wellbeing Training Collaborative in September 2021, and the Face of Support mental wellbeing campaign across Surrey. The Director of Business and Innovation informed the meeting that a Mental Health Summit to be held on 1 December 2021 would update on progress achieved and help maintain momentum.
During the presentation, the Deputy Chief Executive, SABP, commended to Committee members a report produced by SMEF in 2020 about the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health and offered to provide it to Committee members.
Concluding the presentation, the Deputy Chief Executive, SABP, indicated that the transformation of mental health services was happening against a backdrop of a continuing surge in demand caused by the pandemic. She advised the meeting of the pressure under which mental health services were working and the challenges of sufficient workforce to meet need.
The Chair thanked the Deputy Chief Executive, SABP, the Director of Business and Innovation, SABP, and the Chief Executive, Catalyst, for their presentation and praised the speed and progress of the improvement plan.
The Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Climate Change indicated the Executive’s support for mental health services. In addition, he undertook to pursue with local businesses the issues raised.
During the ensuing discussion a number of questions were asked and clarifications responded to and
Members agreed the value in receiving further information at a Committee meeting on the new emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children, young people, and families.
In answer to a question from the Chair, the Deputy Chief Executive, SABP, advised that the timeline for delivery of the improvement programme was 12-18 months and suggested a progress update to the Committee in the late spring or early summer of 2022. Accordingly, the Committee members agreed an update on the improvement plan be added to the Overview and Scrutiny work plan.
The Chair thanked the Deputy Chief Executive, SABP, the Director of Business and Innovation, SABP, and the Chief Executive of Catalyst for attending the meeting to present information and answer questions.
Supporting documents: