Agenda item

Agenda item

Manchester Mental Health Transformation Programme

Report of the Executive Director - Nursing, Safeguarding and Commissioning, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning  and Associate Director of Operations, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust is enclosed.

Minutes:

The Board received a report from the Executive Director – Nursing, Safeguarding and Commissioning, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning and the Associate Director of Operations, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. The report provided a two-year progress report on Manchester Mental Health Services following the acquisition of mental health services on 1 January 2017 by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). The Board received an overview of the achievements delivered to date through the clinical transformation programme and the plans and challenges for the coming year. The Board was informed that the transformation had been delivered through a series of Transformation Working Groups with each focussing on five key priorities, these included:

 

·         Improving Access Psychological Therapies (IAPT)

·         Acute Care Pathway, including:

o    Access to Services/Single Point of Contact (SPOC)

o    Enhanced Community Mental Health Team(s) (CMHT)

o    Home Based Treatment

·         Urgent Care, including:

o    Mental Health Liaison into Acute Trusts

o    Section 136 Facility

·         Reduction in Out of Area Placements, including:

o    Adult Acute and PICU Inpatient Out of Area Placements (OAPs)

o    Rehabilitation Pathway

·         Community Engagement

 

The Chair of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust reported that the acquisition had presented more challenges than expected in areas such as ‘out of area placement’. The Board was informed that good progress had been made during the two-year period and this was due to the team approach and the changes made to the culture of the organisation. Moving forward there was still a significant amount of work to do which would require further financial investment to improve and develop existing infrastructure.

 

The Chair invited comments from board members.

 

A board member welcomed the work done so far and commented that closer working was needed with primary care colleagues to improve patient referral to provide the best help and signposting for patients with mental health issues at an early stage. In response it was reported that GPs can seek support through a psychiatrist contact service that has been in operation for 3 months. The service provides a support clinic to advise and direct GPs to locate the right person at the right time.

 

The Chair commented that Manchester had suffered from inadequate mental health provision since the introduction of ‘Care in the Community’, however since the transformation programme, the situation had now shown significant progress being made. The board was informed that the Chief Executive of the GM Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has an active role in the Transformation Accountability Board which regularly discusses the continuity between children’s and adult mental services and the relationship between mental health services and the Local Care Organisation. The investment made to improve the environment at Park House was welcomed, although it was noted that further significant investment would be needed for the wider development of the site. The Chair also referred to the challenges presented through staff recruitment that had resulted in delays to the introduction of services. In view of this the Chair suggested that the Board should consider the issue relating to the recruitment of skilled staff across each area of health service provision to determine how this could be addressed.

 

Decision

 

To note the report submitted and the comments received.

Supporting documents: