Agenda item

Matthew Cole, Director of Public Health, presented the report on the review of the Needs Assessment and explained how the Mental Health Sub-Group had identified a number of areas where action would generally further improve earlier diagnosis and sign posting to support and/or treatment for adults, children and adolescence.  Set out in Appendix 1 to the report were the 25 recommendations by the Mental Health Sub-Group to the Board.

Matthew explained that nationally we do not know how many adults or children are ill or need support.  Locally we appear to be underscoring against predicted numbers, based upon national and local anticipated incidence rates.  What was clear is that we are diagnosing too late for both adults and children and that the earlier support and treatment is provided the less negative impact there is on the quality of life of individuals. 

Helen Jenner commented that it is essential to capture issues in regards to emotional resilience at an early an age as possible as evidence shows that this then reduces the impact later in an individual’s life.  Helen also drew the Boards attention to the comment that there were 4,500 diagnosed but less than 1,000 are currently getting or had received treatment, the comment in the document was that this was ‘some lost’ when in fact that was quite misleading as there was a lot lost to the system. 

Helen also requested that looked after children needed to be given priority access to support them through the care system and into adulthood and this needed to be specified in the Needs Assessment and delivery plans.  This request was supported by the Board.

Discussion was held in regard to the statistics within the document and that it was felt they were seriously under estimated.  It was agreed that Matthew Cole and Jacqui van Rossum would work with other Board members to ensure that the figures were robust and triangulated as the actual level of demand and areas of need would have a major impact on future service delivery and the resources needed and inform the Board in its future decisions.  The Chair said that she too had concerns about the data and numbers quoted in the report, but she was also disappointed that the sub-groups had not picked this up earlier and stressed that was why attendance and engagement at the sub-groups was important.

Having considered the recommendations made by the Mental Health Sub-Group and following discussions in regard to the data and effect that could have on service delivery and future Board decisions.

The Board:

(i)  Deferred its approval of the Mental Health Needs Assessment;

(ii)  Requested Matthew Cole and Jacqui van Rossum to work with other Partners to ensure that the data / figures were robust and triangulated; and

(iii)  Requested the Mental Health Sub-Group to incorporate the views of the Health and Wellbeing Board, set out above, in regards numbers of patients lost to the system and to looked after children and statements, into the vision

(ii)  Requested a revised Mental Health Needs Assessment and delivery plan, based upon the revised data, be presented to the Board at its 7 July 2015 meeting for approval.

(iv)  Reminded partners of the need for sub-group attendance and also robust scrutiny of the documents and data presented at those groups.