Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of Social Services providing an update on progress since the Scrutiny Inquiry undertaken in 2009/10 in developing a more integrated service for those people with severe and enduring mental health problems who require support from both health and social care

(report attached)

The Board considered a report of the Director of Social Services providing an update on progress since the Scrutiny Inquiry undertaken in 2009/2010 by the previous Board, regarding developing a more integrated service for those people with severe and enduring mental health problems who require support from both health and social care

Attending for this item were:

• John Lennon (Chief Officer, Access and Inclusion) – LCC Adult Social Care
• Lynn Parkinson (Associate Director) – Adult Service – Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Richard Clayton – (Programme Manager) – Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Richard Wall – (Head of Commissioning) ( Mental Health and Learning Disabilities) – NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds
• Pip Goff – (Manager) – Volition

John Lennon presented the report and stated that Executive Board had agreed to delegate the specialist mental health social work function to Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) and that Council staff from Adult Social Care would be seconded to LYPFT.  Management structures would also be integrated to ensure there were clear lines of accountability

The Board was informed that the first phase would commence on 1^st April 2012 and that the strength of the phased model being adopted would be in bringing together people who were currently working in this area, with the next phase being to look at areas of duplication

It was also stated that this represented work in progress, with further work needed in a number of critical areas

The Chair invited Members’ questions and comments and in brief summary the key areas of discussion included:

• the proposed timescales
• the importance of a streamlined system for service users and that the proposals were welcomed
• the forthcoming welfare changes and the need for people to be supported in managing these changes
• that the integrated service could provide the opportunity for innovative work to take place
• any possible conflict of interests for Social Workers embedded in a health team which was managed by a health team, particularly around the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) role
• assurances around the interests of patients would always come first; this reassurance was given

RESOLVED -  a)  To note the information provided in the report and discussed at the meeting

b)  To note the decision taken by Executive Board in December

2011 to integrate specialist mental health social care services with specialist secondary mental health services with LYPFT acting as host organisation for the partnership

c)  To note the development of a partnership agreement under

Section 75 of the National Health Services Act 2006 detailing the governance of the partnership between ASC and LYPFT

d)  To note the secondment of social care staff to LYPFT from

1^st April 2012

e)  To note that further detailed work will be undertaken to

ensure the ongoing balance of social care management in the partnership

f)  To note the review of roles and functions of social work

within the partnership

g)  To note how the potential risks around Governance, Finance,

HR and Performance will be managed in the phased approach to implementation as set out in the submitted report

h)  To maintain a general overview of progress and any specific

matters that may arise in the future