Agenda item - Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat - Action Plan and Declaration of Support

Report of the Commissioning Manager (copy attached).

47.1    This item was introduced by Anna Mcdevitt, Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, and John Child, Sussex Partnership Trust.

47.2    In response to questions on crisis support for young people, Mr Child told members that commissioners and providers worked hard to ensure that there was sufficient local acute bed capacity (which does include purchasing independent sector beds locally at times of peak demand to ensure local beds for local people).

47.3    In answer to queries about mental health ‘safe spaces’, Ms Mcdevitt  informed members that the Royal Sussex adult A&E has a dedicated safe space for people with mental health issues. And consideration will be given to the development of a similar space for children and young people as proposals for a liaison team at the Royal Alexander Children’s Hospital are developed

47.4    Mr Child told members that the mooted reconfiguration of the S136 suite (hospital place of safety) at Mill View Hospital will be considering by the Trust’s Estates & Facilities department in the coming months.

47.5    In response to questions about the local adoption of a street triage service, Mr Child informed members that there was a commitment to test out street triage locally – this would be done using the additional capacity possible in urgent care services which should be available early next year.

47.6    Geraldine Hoban enquired why Sussex was an outlier in terms of using custody as a place of safety for people picked up by the police under  Section 136 of the Mental Health Act. Ms Mcdevitt responded that the recent local performance trend is positive and there has been a reduction in the total amount of S136 activity over the last few years.  More generally, the local focus has been on reducing avoidable emergency admissions and A&E attendances for people experiencing a crisis in their mental health.  The Concordat had raised the profile of S136 activity in Brighton and addressing this has subsequently become a key plank of the Concordat action plan locally  

47.7    Dr Beesley noted that access to urgent care services in this area has improved dramatically in recent years as a result of significant investments, and that the police should in particular be commended for their approach to dealing with people in crisis. However, it is important that we remain ambitious about S136, and that there is a move away from an over-reliance on police input. Dr Beesley said we should aspire to reducing the number of people taken to custody on a S136 to as few as possible. Both Ms Mcdevitt and Mr Child concurred with this approach.

47.8    Denise D’Souza noted that the ongoing re-design of the Approved Mental Health Practitioner (social work) service was intended to result in a sustainable 24/7 service which would help the system deliver improvements to crisis care.

47.9    Cllr Shanks (attending the meeting as Chair of Children & Young People Committee) stressed that it was important that parents and carers are appropriately involved in crisis care, and that there is sufficient support for young people with mental health problems.

47.10  RESOLVED – that the Board approves the Mental Health Crisis Concordat action plan.