Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of Nursing, Patient and Safety Quality

Committee received a presentation which provided an update on the review of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) across Gateshead and Newcastle.

Newcastle Gateshead CCG, along with both Councils, began a review in 2015 into children and young people’s mental health provision. The aim of the review is to design an integrated, early response to the emotional and psychological needs of children, young people and families.  Throughout the review process communities, service users and stakeholders were engaged. It was noted that the new model is a move towards a single point of access, to ensure all services are joined up.

In terms of progress so far it was reported that strategic planning and engagement work was completed in December 2016. The procurement of services process is ongoing until August and service monitoring and evaluation will be undertaken from September 2017.

The goals of the new service were outlined as;

·         Collaboration between all providers

·         Shift focus of service delivery to first line early intervention

·         Reduce inappropriate referrals to specialist services

·         Implement workforce development to ensure good succession planning and therefore sustainability of the service

·         Delivery within the current financial envelope

It was reported that the new service will be focused on prevention and early intervention, it will respond to the needs of children and young people and will have clear routes to the right support. The service will be recovery focused, with a shared care approach, so no bounce between services for patients, and will allow for ease of access and choice. It was also confirmed that the new service will provide appropriate escalation when necessary and has integrated working at its heart.

It was reported that the new service will have a clear single point of access for all referrers. There will be a move away from the tiered structure which is currently in place, the service will use more easily understandable language.

In terms of the next steps it was noted that a workshop has been held with two providers at which it was agreed that weekly meetings would be held until September to agree how the service will be delivered.  Implementation of the new service will be a phased approach, phase one; implementation of service specification is ongoing. Phase two from September will be pathways development and evaluation of new service and December will see the formal launch of the new provision.  It was acknowledged that there are financial challenges in terms of the implementation phase.

The point was made that there are currently young people failing to get care due to issues with GP access to services and length of waiting lists and it was therefore queried what is being done to tackle this. It was confirmed that listening events have been held and issues identified by service users are hoped to be avoided under the new service provision. It was acknowledged that waiting times will be based on the clinical need of the child. It was questioned whether families can go out of the area to access services, it was confirmed that this would only be if the required support was not available in Gateshead.

It was questioned whether there would be a period with which to defer full discharge in cases where a child may need re-referring. It was agreed that this information would be sought and Committee informed.

It was pointed out that work is ongoing to become more responsive to special classes of children and young people, such as; LAC, children subject to child protection orders or victims of CSE and youth offenders. It was also noted that previously patient flow between services has not been effective and the new model is aimed at preventing this in the future.

It was questioned how the service will be scrutinised by the Council. It was noted that the Council does not directly commission the CAMHS service, however the 0-19 nursing service supports children and families to prevent them requiring medical services and this will be scrutinised through the Council’s OSC process.

A further update is scheduled for Committee in January 2018.

RESOLVED    -           (i)         That the content of the report and comments of the

Committee be noted.

                                    (ii)        That an update on the development of a new Children

and Adolescent Mental Health Service across Gateshead be received in six months.