Agenda item

Dominic Gardner - Director of Operations – Tees -Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust

Dominic Gardner, Director of Operations at TEWV delivered a presentation to the Board on the South Tees Wellbeing Network Launch and provided a Mental Health Update.

 

The Director of Operations provided a brief overview of the South Tees Wellbeing Network.  It was advised that is a large scale South Tees network, likely in the 1000’s, of front line employees/volunteers whose work is to improve the broad wellbeing of South Tees residents.

 

•        Soft Launch – February 4^th 2021 –

•        Over 400 contacts on interim list at present – awaiting formal sign up

•        Format and next 12 months mapped out for functions – Currently awaiting GDPR and approvals for I.T. platforms to formally launch the network – Now expected during April/May 2021

It was advised that Formal paper to be submitted to the Live Well South Tees Board once all technical/GDPR approvals given

 

The Director of Operations then provided the Board with an overview of work currently being undertaken in regards to Mental Health.

 

The Board was advised that the South Tees Mental Health and Recovery Group’s purpose was to identify actions to support system recovery to enhance mental health protective factors and to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 and prevent further harm.

The key actions of the group include:

•        Develop a picture of local level mental health need

•        Build capacity and capability across our workforce to prevent mental health problems and promote good mental health

•        Increase awareness of wellbeing and common understanding and adoption of wellbeing measures

•        Increase individual and community resilience

•        Support recovery from mental health problems and equip people with social and emotional skills to manage their lives

•        To make connections between existing recovery structures and partnerships

 

Resilience

•        Population Resilience - Increase VCS Capacity to provide sustainable mental health and wellbeing support within neighbourhoods and communities (Services to begin recruiting in March / April 2021)

•        Investment via Local Authorities into our local voluntary Care Sector (VCS), this investment will be aimed at increasing capacity within existing local community hubs which have been developed by our local authority colleagues.

•        The funds will enable our local voluntary care sector partners to embed mental health and wellbeing support into our community hubs

 

Community Mental Health Framework

 

•        A joined up model; not a  focus on the parts  

•        Delivery of specific aims identified in the NHS long term plan

•        Transformation of community mental health care; change not ‘more of the same’

•        Collectively led by health, local authority and voluntary sector

•        Coproduced with our service users, carers and families, a focus on inequalities

•        Driven from Place, Locality

•        Delivered within the framework of an integrated person centred model

 

Next Steps 2021/22

January-March

•        Establish governance structures and work streams/ task and finish groups

•        Create a strong communication plan

•        Have in place coproduction with the intention to evolve this as the programme grows.

•        Deliver staff engagement events (updates and question and answers)

•        Identify a way forward for the growing peer support workforce

•        Allocate funding with each Local Authority for resilience hubs

•        Identify baseline measurements (data collection)

April – September

•        Consultation and design phase with identified work streams which have the appropriate infrastructure in place

•        Continued engagement with Primary Care Networks (PCN)

•        Ensure co-production is representative of the work stream population

•        Begin to deliver upon resilience hubs in each local authority area.

 

October onwards

•        Plan on a page high level vision for each local authority area

•        Consultation and sign off

•        Understand steps needed to mobilise new model

 

Crisis Transformation: Developments to date

•        Development of a 24/7 listening services available to all (over 1000 calls per month)

•        Development of a Crisis single point of contact and dedicated intensive home treatment teams

•        Implemented peer support contract with Humankind (6 apprentices all patient facing)

•        Delivered training through the Samaritans to all support workers across crisis services

•        Dedicated Psychology lead and focus upon frequent attenders

•         Secured NHS England funding 2021-2024 for alternatives to crisis

Next Steps - Crisis Transformation 2021

•        Aims to bridge the gap between community and crisis teams (subcontracted to the VCS) / non-clinical/ person centred model

•        This will take referrals from those would not meet the crisis UK triage threshold

•        The offer will focus upon both the patient and family and carer offer

•        Substance misuse:

•        Each crisis team will sub contract specialist substance misuse providers to co locate a worker within their teams

•        Working cohesively to deliver person centred care for each patient we will review pathways into substance misuse providers building upon recent developments with our substance misuse partners

•        Peer Workers:

•        We will expand on the current peer worker contract to implement further roles specialising in substance misuse

•        BAME Communities:

•        TEWV together with the Voluntary Care Sector will employ a clinical outreach worker

•        This role will build relationships with local communities and aims to set up a network of partners

•        Deliver education and awareness of Mental Health Services

•        Scope need in terms of access to Mental Health Services

•        Scope alternatives to crisis provision

•        PCSO neighbourhood patrols

•        Pilot to support PSCO’s in their neighbourhood patrols with a Mental Health Support worker

•        The aim is to build awareness and rapport with local communities to signpost to local Mental Health provision and early intervention in accessing help.

•        Support those who we know to be most vulnerable

 

Inequalities / Prevention

•        Healthwatch – network of community champions to influence development of models / identify and reduce barriers to access

•        Research – Build in mental health findings for COVID community based research to recovery plans  and develop a 2^nd phase including examining the possible contributors to shifting mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic.  Approach to Teesside / York University to guide / evaluate impacts of service changes

•        Population Health Data – process to develop analysis of community needs to ensure a more tailored offer

•        Middlesbrough PCN – Population Health Pilot to assess / improve mental health of people with LTC

•        Develop programmes to connect communities to build resilience (South Tees Wellbeing Network one of these programmes)

•        Build mental health capacity and literacy across the workforce

•        Deliver the Preventing Suicides across Tees (local action plan; support for those affected or bereaved by suicide; Early Alert System and Real time data)

 

The Board noted the work that has been carried around Mental Health and thanked the Director of Operations for his presentation.