Agenda item - Transforming Care: Update

22.1    Soline Jerram, CCG Lead Nurse/Director of Clinical Quality & Patient Safety; Natalia Garzon; and Cameron Brown, Brighton & Hove Community Disability Team, introduced the report. The Transforming Care Programme (TCP) was launched in response to the Winterbourne View scandal and was initially focused solely on people with both Learning Disabilities and autism who were being kept in hospital. However, the programme’s remit has subsequently widened. TCP is delivered on a Sussex-wide footprint. Although TCP is expected to involve budget-pooling at some point, this is not currently being recommended.

22.2    TCP aims to reduce reliance on hospital beds in favour of community-based care. However, Sussex has historically been a low user of beds in any case. There are currently 8 Brighton & Hove residents in hospital placements – a significant reduction from the 14 or so who previously occupied beds.

22.3    Dr Mack noted that the TCP project was transformational, but queried whether there were concerns about community safety. Mr Brown replied that the discharge of people from the criminal justice system was very carefully managed, with multi-agency buy-in. Discharge was under licence, and some clients have been recalled.

22.4    Denise D’Souza commended the work to date, but commented that it was vital that we secured NHS England funding to cover the very high costs involved in supporting some of the individuals covered by TCP. Ms Jerram noted that the footprint had not been successful in bidding for transformational funding, but had succeeded in some smaller bids.

22.5    In response to a question on equality and diversity from Dr Beesley, Ms Jerram told the Board that no issues had emerged at local level to date, but that she would check whether there was anything across the region.

22.6    In response to a question from Graham Bartlett on the involvement of MAPPA, Mr Brown told members that MAPPA is fully involved in discussions when people are released from prison.

22.7    Denise D’Souza told the Board that a key issue was housing: we need to find appropriate accommodation for this client group, which can be difficult. Mr Brown agreed, noting that housing clients in appropriate accommodation can significantly improve their behaviour and reduce support costs. The Chair suggested that the question of whether there was enough suitable supported housing in the city to cope with this and other demands should be explored as part of the debate around City Plan.

22.8    RESOLVED – that the Board endorses the Sussex Transforming Care Partnership Plan.