Issue - meetings

Ms Melanie Anthony, Senior Commissioner, and Ms Heather Randle, Commissioner were in attendance for this item.

1.    Ms Anthony introduced the report and gave an overview of the Community Mental Health Wellbeing Service (also known as Live Well Kent) and the commissioning process. 

2.    Ms Anthony and Ms Randle responded to comments and questions from the committee, including the following:

(a)  Asked about Medway Council’s involvement in the service Ms Anthony said this related to the helpline in that area and the expansion would be met by Medway Clinical Commissioning Group.

(b)  Asked about the integration of the service with the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and how increased demand would affect those currently on the waiting list, Ms Anthony said the proposal to include the 14-35 year old Early Intervention for Psychosis Service was in addition to the CAMHS service. A member asked for information on how the Early Intervention for Psychosis Service would work in practice to come to a future Cabinet Committee.

(c)  Asked whether the statistics of residents in Kent experiencing mental health problems included those with long covid or Ukrainian refugees Ms Randle said Live Well Kent was an open access service for anyone experiencing mental health problems and the contract could be varied if deemed appropriate to deliver newly identified services.

(d)  Asked about the personal needs of service users and how their voices were being heard, Ms Randle said service user involvement ran throughout the service and service users designed the Live Well Kent identity and brand.  The service was personalised and could be adapted and delivered against the needs of its users. 

(e)  Asked whether funding was sufficient to cover the service in its entirety considering increased future demand, Ms Anthony said the work on the wider transformation programme would ensure funding was available.  

RESOLVED that the decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health to:

a)        Commence joint commissioning activity for a Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service; and

b)        Delegate authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision

be endorsed.