Agenda item

To receive a presentation from place partners and a report from Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) on the delivery and transformation of mental health services.

Consideration was given to a report and presentation from Rotherham place partners in respect of mental health services. A supplemental report provided information in response to previous recommendations, specifically in respect of the RDaSH workforce, referral and treatment waiting times, and crisis service provision. The presentation included information in respect of:

•       Enhancing Access to Support

•       Out of Area Placements

•       Early Intervention

•       Older People’s Mental Health / Memory Clinic

•       Perinatal Services

•       Other Community Services

•       Addressing Health Inequalities

In discussion, Members requested that the future updates provide information around performance measures that show levels of effectiveness of the service areas. The response from RDaSH representatives noted that the KPIs were in place for services and quality indicator dashboards are available and will be provided as part of the next update.

Members also raised concerns that transport reduction across the area will make access to services even more difficult. Considering this, information was requested around plans to expand locations in deprived communities. The response from officers noted the need to strengthen service access within communities and invited Members to feed into potential areas where the service might need to focus attention.

Assurances were requested by the Co-optee from Speak Up Rotherham regarding collaboration with Speak Up feeding into the improvement of the RotherHive resource and the expressed desire of the service to expand easy-read resources. The response from Place Partners welcomed the opportunity to liaise with Speak Up Rotherham to feed into the improvement of these resources to make them easier to access.

Does individual placement support also include people with disabilities and autistic people who may have severe mental health issues. The answer from partners said that this support does include people with disabilities and autistic people.

Members expressed interest in knowing more about funding for mental health to recover from the pandemic. The response from partners described the emphasis on funding physical health care during the pandemic, and the national funding decision was not extended to cover long waits within mental health.

Members expressed interest in more details around timelines for next steps. These were noted to Members in the meeting and were agreed to be provided following the meeting as well. Among the action plans described, a key action plan was highlighted around suicide prevention and self-harm will be a national report available in September which will feed local implementation. Further, there were also plans being developed to reduce waits. A referral platform will be launched in August.

How is the service working collaboratively with perinatal, postnatal support and the hospital’s maternity services. Descriptions were given of setup of triage clinics and work with midwives to identify patients who may be in need of perinatal service. The training package will be developed further.

Members requested additional information in respect of social prescribing. The response from Place Partners noted the success of the blue and green campaign to popularise the use of green spaces and water spaces to enhance overall wellbeing and mental health benefits. A slow start has been made in identifying groups that would apply for the programme. Additionally, some GPs do social prescribing. The service has successful case studies from working with people who are being discharged from hospital which could be better publicised as part of the social prescribing initiative.

Resolved:-

1.      That the update be noted, and that the next update be submitted in 6 months’ time, with emphasis on outcomes and quality KPIs and progress with backlog clearance in the memory and assessment and formulation clinics.

2.      That ICP partners including RDaSH seek to collaborate with Speak Up around accessibility and inclusion work in respect of RotherHive

3.      That Speak Up circulate the outcomes of current research work with universities to Members, ICP and RDaSH.