Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

Further to minute 6 of the Scrutiny Board (Health and Wellbeing and Adult Social Care) meeting held on 27^th June 2012 where mental health issues were identified as an area for consideration by the Board, Members received a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development providing information on issues around the provision of mental health services together with details on the Leeds Mental Health Needs Assessment (MHNA), May 2011.

Attending for this item to present the report and respond to the Board’s questions and comments were:

• Victoria Eaton (Consultant in Public Health) – NHS Airedale Bradford and Leeds
• Nigel Gray (Chief Officer Designate) – NHS Leeds North CCG
• Michele Tynan (Chief Officer – Learning Disabilities) – Leeds City Council, Adult Social Services
• Richard Wall (Head of Commissioning (Mental Health and Learning Disabilities)) – NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds
• Catherine Ward (Emotional Health and Wellbeing Lead) – NHS Airedale Bradford and Leeds

Nigel Gray introduced the report and referred to the data that had been obtained through the MHNA and stated the importance of using this data to inform decision-making and service commissioning and to link into the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Reference was made to the recommendations in the MHNA which contained a mix of specific examples of work to be undertaken, together with some long-term, strategic recommendations including how resources could be utilised.

The integration of social care teams with the Leeds and York Partnership Trust and the benefits this would bring in providing services was highlighted.

The Board was also informed about proposals for the transformation of mental health day services in Leeds, with a three month consultation process being embarked upon with service users to consider retaining two of the three mental health day care centres and looking at the future of The Vale, in Hunslet.  The Board was assured that nothing would change at The Vale until alternative services had been put in place.  The Board was informed that service users had identified the importance of retaining staff-led and user-led recovery groups as well as safe spaces, with Adult Social Care looking to develop a number of small community bases to help fulfil these requirements.

Detailed discussion took place, with the following key areas being raised:

• the provision of mental health services and whether having two separate NHS providers was a sensible and efficient approach;
• Welfare reform and the potential implications of 30,000 people in Leeds being on Incapacity Benefit, with up to 50% likely to be suffering mental health problems;
• the work being done by Leeds City Council to help support people affected by the changes to the benefits system
• Personalised budgets for people in receipt of Social Care services and the potential additional pressure for people with mental health problems;
• the level of need and demand for psychological services, with a focus on the importance of preventative work, particularly in poorer communities where there was clear correlation between health and wellbeing and multi-level deprivation;
• the recommendations in the MHNA and whether these were subject to resources being available and the extent of the funding gap between demand and provision;

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the report and information presented, as part of the Board’s ongoing inquiry into mental health. 

(ii)    That a further report be presented to the Board that details:

·  The current provision and providers of mental health   services across the City – including statutory and non-  statutory services;

·  The current available budget / funding for mental health   services across the City;

·  An outline of the current demand for primary, secondary   and tertiary mental health services across the City;