Agenda item

To consider a report from Leeds City Council’s Head of Democratic Services introducing an update on the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership’s Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme; alongside the associated five year strategy.

The report of the Head of Democratic Services introduced a report from the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership regarding the Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme. The Partnership’s report was attached as Appendix 2.

The Joint Committee had previously considered a report on the Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme at its meeting in February 2019. An extract of the minutes from that meeting were attached at Appendix 1.

In attendance at the meeting were:

·  Helen Hirst – Chief Officer; Bradford City CCG, Bradford Districts CCG and Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG and Programme Accountable Officer

·  Sara Munro – Chief Executive, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Responsible Owner for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme

·  Karen Coleman – West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health Care Partnership Communication and Engagement Lead

·  Steven Courtney – Principal Scrutiny Adviser

The Mental Health Programme Board Chair introduced the report, which identified the following:

·  There is now a well-established Programme Board with representatives from across all the areas including commissioners, providers, voluntary and community sector, NHS England and co-opted members. The approach is including how to share best practice, where necessary how to standardise services and remodelling of services;

·  In relation to Autism and ADHD this has been challenging area for both adults and children with demand outstripping resources. There is a need to increase resources and shared learning across each of the places. It was noted that there had been joint working to open pathways for referrals;

·  Sought to access funding from NHS England to look at ways that people with autism to access crisis service and there is a research project for making services more accessible especially through digital means;

·  Successful work done on suicide prevention securing national monies to spread across the whole of West Yorkshire, putting funding into community and third sector organisation for targeted work for those most at risk especially young males;

·  Submitted wave three funding bid to further enhance support to at risk groups. This would be for West Yorkshire with money also available for each of the places;

·  Committed to reducing children and young people going out of West Yorkshire area for treatment. Currently only provision available at one centre in West Yorkshire, however building work is now underway to provide another unit for children and young people at St Mary’s Hospital in Armley to be completed next year and will provide a 22 bed unit for West Yorkshire and Harrogate. At the same time a pilot has been running with NHS England called New Care Models which seeks to reduce already the number of children that are going out of area. Numbers have been reduced by approximately 25%;

·  Reported that all adult eating disorder placements are kept within the area, it was noted that there is a clear process in place to respond to choice. The money saved has been redirected within the communities and there is now a multi-disciplinary team in place across West Yorkshire;

·  Complex rehabilitation in patient care currently has no provision for women in West Yorkshire and Harrogate. However for men there is provision within Leeds but this is not sufficient to meet the needs of all those referred. Work is currently ongoing to see how best to address this issue and provide a model that can address the care needs of those in West Yorkshire and Harrogate. Funding has been secured and this is one of the priority areas for the year ahead;

·  Secondary Care Pathways for psychiatric care working towards people not having to go out of the area for treatment in the coming year.

 The Joint Committee considered all the information provided and discussed a number of issues including:

·  Diagnosis and support for adults with autism;

·  The need for future reports to contain more finance details and timescales;

·  Provision and support for children and young people going through transition and the need to bring services together across West Yorkshire to address issues before they reach crisis  point and to tailor services for individual need;

·  Provision and support needed in relation to sustainable housing and employment placements. The Joint Committee were advised that there was to be an event in March with housing providers from across Yorkshire to consider improvements in providing a safe housing placement based on work carried out in Wakefield. It was noted that individual support is provided in relation to employment and thee is also targeted support such as that provided by the Leeds Anchor Programme;

·  Performance data needs to be clear and transparent;

·  Single access point for forensic mental health services;

·  More information required for maternity services for those with learning disability and autism;

·  The challenges of recruiting to skilled roles in mental health care;

·  Request for lead officers to attend the next meeting from other places within West Yorkshire to include Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.

In conclusion the Joint Committee were happy with the work to date and the progress of the Programme.

RESOLVED – To:

a)  Note the contents of the report and the supplementary information and the discussions held at the meeting.

b)  To note the request of the Joint Committee to receive further information on matters identified during discussions.

c)  To invite Leads from Calderdale, Wakefield and Kirklees to attend the next meeting when the next update report is heard.