Agenda item

Dr Adrian Richardson, Director of Transformation and Partnerships, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), Dr Rakesh Koria, Ageing and Dying Well Clinical Lead, Mrs Rachel Parris, Deputy Director Out of Hospital Care (Community Services), Ms Louise Clack, Deputy Director, Adult Mental Health and Victoria Stevens, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, NHS Kent and Medwaywere in attendance for this item.

1.    The report provided an update on changes within the mental health landscape. It focused on key programmes which were aimed at improving the provision of responsive and comprehensive mental health services for Kent and Medway residents.

2.    In reply to a question, Dr R Koria (Ageing and Dying Well Clinical Lead, NHS Kent and Medway) said that the number of out-of-area beds had increased over the last two to three months. This was due to some significant flow issues across the system. Patient experience was monitored, and patient experience levels and the number of complaints had remained stable throughout the last few months.

3.    The Chair asked a question about the level of security in Crisis and Recovery Houses, in particularly the one in Ashford, as there had been an incident of a patient removing themselves from the premises.

a.    Louise Clack (Deputy Director, Adult Mental Health, NHS Kent and Medway) explained that, while the House was a 24-7 staffed environment, individuals used the Crisis Recovery House voluntarily and were allowed to take their own leave from the premises.

b.    Anybody who was accepted into Crisis and Recovery houses had to have an assessment by the mental health provider trust, where a clear assessment of risk was made. This included whether the individual required clinical mental health interventions within a clinical inpatient setting which provided an enhanced level of security or non-clinical interventions with a 24-hour accessible support in a Crisis Recovery House.

c.    Crisis Recovery Houses had very close links with the mental health provider trust and local crisis resolution home treatment teams. If, in a Crisis Recovery House, an individual's mental state deteriorated to the extent that the provider believed that a clinical assessment was required, then they would contact the local crisis resolution home treatment team who would conduct an assessment.

4.    A Member asked whether there was a budget to support local charities that had a good track record of helping and supporting people with mental health issues.

a.    Louise Clack said that there was a budget to support third sector organisations.In terms of dementia support in the community, there were 52 Dementia Coordinators. These posts were provided by the voluntary sector and were linked to Primary Care Networks.

b.    The majority of urgent and emergency care transformation and community crisis alternatives were provided by the voluntary sector.

c.    There were also 10 Safe Havens and a 24-7 mental health helpline which were all delivered by charities.

5.    A Member asked a question about how the initiative of GPs with enhanced roles worked in practice.

a.    Dr Koria explained that, traditionally, in many different clinical areas there had been a specialism, and one of them was in dementia.

b.    One of the aims for the nine GPs with extended roles was to make sure that they were supported by existing wider mental health teams - including psychologists and carers - working together.

c.    These GPs were very versatile because they were able, not just to manage dementia, but to provide support with other conditions that co-existed with dementia.

6.    In reply to a question about the main reasons for co-locating threes Safe Havens within busy acute hospitals, Louise Clack explained that hospital settings were open 24/7 and that individuals could easily walk in to access those services. Also, Liaison Psychiatry staff were always present in emergency departments.

7.    In terms of consent to access Safe Haven services, Louise Clack clarified these were only available to those aged 18 and above.

8.    The Committee requested an update, at an appropriate time, on Mental Health Services and Dementia Services in particular.

9.    The Chair thanked the guests and requested an update, at an appropriate time, on Mental Health Services and Dementia Services in particular.

RESOLVED that the Committee consider and note the report.