Agenda item

To provide an update on the Mental Health Strategy.

The Committee welcomed Steph Wain, Commissioning Specialist – Mental Health,to the meeting.

Ms Wain delivered a presentation, which addressed progress to date; emerging themes; a brief summary of the Mental Health Bill; and the next steps.

The Committee was asked to consider providing feedback as part of the consultation process for the new Mental Health Strategy and whether it would wish to receive a final update before formal adoption. It was noted that there would also be the option for the Committee to regularly monitor the Strategy once it was adopted.

The Chair thanked Ms Wain and said that given this was such a vast area, he was keen to establish two workshops to allow the Committee to be able to influence; look at the consultation and being consulted with the first workshop focussing on children and young people and their transition into adult services.  An invitation to attend this workshop would also be extended to all members of the CYP Committee.

During discussion, Members raised the following points and questions:

·       There appeared to be nothing from emerging themes, the Committee did not already know.

·       What was the current position re CAMHS i.e. how long people were waiting for appointments and whether these figures were up or down etc?

·       Funding – was TWC getting its fair share for mental health services?

·       Better access for older people.

·       What resources were available to move services on?

·       Did vacancies remain re mental health support?

·       A member had had a meeting with an organisation, which supported young people with mental health who had said it was not being picked up and dealt with at an earlier stage.

In response to some of the points raised it was noted that there were some specifics re CAMHS, which could be taken away and reported back to committee; there was a better offer from Age UK for over 65s; and, in response to the question around vacancies, from an Adult Social Care perspective, the team was biggest it had ever been and there were currently no vacancies, although could not comment from an NHS point of view.

It was reported that the key prevention agenda “Making Prevention Real” looked at local communities and networks of support and spoke with GPs around services, which need technical support. 

In terms of consultation on the Strategy, it was reported that the next steps were to carry out actions, which could be taken arising from the consultation and the suggestion of hosting two action-point workshops on mental health (one before the draft strategy was finalised; the second during the official consultation (what are people telling you about what we are proposing)) was welcomed.

In terms of moving forward and being able to resource the issue, the Chair said that the Committee needed to understand the extent of the problem in Telford and Wrekin, how many cases, how many people were affected etc.

It was acknowledged that mental health conditions were potentially unseen, or people did not want to disclose them, which posed the question as to how Council and partners had that conversation with over 65s and young people. 

A member spoke on the wide range of mental health conditions and the significant changes to the demographics within Telford and Wrekin.  It was noted that the borough’s population was growing and it was important that this information was shared with partners.

The Chair agreed that all organisations, which dealt with mental health matters in Telford and Wrekin be invited to a future meeting to give a brief resume of the current position and moving forward.  He recognised however, that the problem was trying to get a library together of all the mental health conditions etc. 

Contact would be made with groups in the area to consider potential workshop dates, numbers, what would be on the agenda etc. 

The Chair asked that this information be shared with Shropshire and that a meeting prior to the consultation be arranged to help inform it and the way it was going to take place with groups in an open forum to help support the case and perhaps a case to the Government for better funding.

RESOLVED, that the Mental Health Strategy Update, be noted.