Agenda item

Purpose: To feedback on activity that has taken place over the last three months.

Rachel Johnson drew attention to her report which gave feedback on activity that had taken place over the last three months since the Hot Focus Session on Mental Health and Wellbeing in Adults.

Rachel Johnson reported that the Hot Focus Session had been well attended and had received very positive feedback from those who had attended. Group work had taken place on what the gaps and needs there were across services.

A Mental Health Forum had been set up since the Hot Focus Session to look at establishing a strategic way forward for mental health.. The group had met several times, commencing with two workshops to set out the key issues and a vision. A workshop had also taken place to develop an action plan for the area and had received input from a range of stakeholder organisations and service users. The action plan included issues raised at the Hot Focus Session and was about to go out to wider consultation. Further work was required around prevention, recovery and education including removing stigma that surrounds mental health issues. The action plan covered a 12 month period and then looked to three and five years.

Lesley Wyman asked if suicide prevention work was included under the action plan and it was confirmed that it was currently separate. It was suggested that these two areas should be brought together.

Councillor Lynne Doherty queried if the action plan mentioned included children’s mental health. Rachel Johnson reported that it did as it belonged to the Adult Mental Health Group.   Councillor Doherty stressed the need for both areas to be brought together.

Cathy Winfield explained that there was a group already in place looking at children’s mental health issues. The work in this area was very specific and therefore it would be better not to disrupt what was taking place. It was however, important that there was good communication links between the two groups.

Councillor Cole felt that as services were dealing with individuals there should be a holistic approach. There was a cut off point when a child became an adult and with this came a new set of services, which could be daunting and confusing. Councillor Mollie Lock supported Councillor Cole’s views regarding moving towards a holistic approach.

Rachael Wardell explained that the law set out the distinctions between adults and children and the eligibility for children was different, there were also stricter safeguarding measures in place. Adults had more freedom to choose unlike children and this was why the services needed to be different. The period of transition was challenging regardless of if an individual had a disability. Work taking place was person centred and focused on understanding families in context of their communities and it was hoped that this would help smooth out the transition period. Dr Bal Bahia felt that it was important that discrete services were mindful of this challenging period and ensuring it was as smooth as possible.

Lesley Wyman reported that the Delivery Plans belonging to the Delivery Groups would need to cover all aspects of mental health including the transition from childhood.

Adrian Barker commended the work taking place however  felt that an Adult Mental Health Strategy be developed  rather than a stand alone action plan.