Agenda item

Vincent Badu (Executive Director Partnerships and Strategy, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT)), Dr Matthew Debenham, Assistant Medical Director for the Acute Care Group, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT)) and Caroline Selkirk, Managing Director, NHS East Kent CCGs were in attendance for this item.

(1)      The Chair welcomed the guests to the Committee.  Mr Badu began by stating that following the publication of a CQC report the Trust had received a well led governance inspection rating of ‘good’.  He said that the report included a comprehensive review of some of the core, acute and specialist services.  Mr Badu confirmed that a warning notice that had previously been issued for community mental health services had phenomenally improved.

(2)      A Member enquired about the differences between adult mental health and children and young people’s mental health and the reasons for the performance of services being so drastically different.  He continued that he would welcome work to be undertaken to understand the reasons for this.

(3)      The Chair referred to the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Partnership (STP) mental health workstream and wondered if this is something that could be considered as part of their work.

(4)      Ms Selkirk said that she nor the provider could comment on another provider but that the report presented by KMPT showed the benefits of the journey.  She continued that they continued to keep an eye on work within children’s services.

(5)      Members enquired about waiting times, assessment including county variations and recruitment and retention.  Ms Selkirk said that variation was not acceptable, and work was taking place with the Trust to address this.

(6)      Mr Badu said that the CQC report had given a Kent and Medway perspective and that the NHS report presented to the Committee was broken down by geographical area.  He continued that the improvement plans in community team services would ensure that services would be in the right place at the right time, in the right way.  Mr Badu said that cases were actively reviewed whilst waiting with a clear treatment plan in place to minimise the risk for those waiting.

(7)      Dr Debenham informed the Committee that there were significant doctor recruitment issues and that training experiences were being created to develop and recruit in to middle grade to consultant roles to acquire skills to enter the specialist register. He confirmed that an agreement from the KSS Deanery to recruit additional core and higher trainees who would rotate into the same development posts. 

(8)      Mr Badu said that there was additional recruitment and retention of nurses and that vacancy rate had improved significantly.  He stated that nurse skills would lead to progress in the nurse workforce, further enhanced by the advanced practitioners and non-medical prescribers.  Mr Badu highlighted that access to such additional development would aid staff retention.

(9)      Members enquired about the mother and baby unit, transition from children and young people’s mental health services to adult services and bed occupancy and capacity.  Mr Badu said that the mother and baby unit provided services across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.  He said that the team were part of a wider programme for perinatal mental health services, such as supporting discharge back in to the community and reducing length of stay.  Mr Badu highlighted that there was an absence of acute inpatient facilities for patients suffering perinatal mental health and that there was a demand for the service. 

(10)   A Member referred to women who require intensive care and asked about commissioning of such a service.   Mr Debenham informed the Committee that since 2016 there was no female psychiatric intensive care units in Kent and that meant provision was difficult but early conversations were being held with a Kent, Surrey, Sussex solution.  He said that separately an enhanced package of support was being developed to bring people back to Kent.

(11)   Mr Badu said that in relation to transition from children and young people’s mental health services to adult services, that KMPT were working closely with North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) to ensure that pathways were being developed.  He drew attention to the significant programme with clinical pathways documented in the report to ensure that they were appropriate and there was parity in availability at transition.

(12)   The Chair asked about the Cranmer Ward and the sale of part of the site.  Ms Selkirk said that the CCGs were working with the Trust to understand the service model and develop options.  She confirmed that it will be consulted on to ensure that the service model is understood.

(13)   RESOLVED that:

(a)  The Committee noted the report and KMPT be requested to provide an update at the appropriate time;

(b)  The Committee receive an update on the two potential options for change at the St Martin’s site at the appropriate time; and

(c)  The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership to consider the relationship between children and young people’s mental health services and adult mental health services as part of the Mental Health Workstream.