Agenda item

Briefing note and presentation of the Executive Director, People

Education and Children’s Services Scrutiny Board (2) have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the Cabinet Members/Deputy Cabinet Members for Children and Young People, Education and Health and Adult Services

The following representatives have also been invited to attend:

Jacqueline Barnes, Chief Nursing Officer, Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group

Josie Spencer, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations and Jed Francique, Associate Director for Integrated Children’s Services, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust

Jane Eminson, Acting Director, West Midlands Quality Review Service

David Healey, Director, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind

The Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Executive Director for People concerning the findings of the West Midlands Quality Review Service (WMQRS) Peer Review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and detailing the actions for improvement. A copy of the review report ‘Towards Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Well-being’ was attached at an appendix. The Board also received a presentation on the review from Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust (CWPT). Members of the Education and Children’s Services Scrutiny Board (2) attended the meeting for the consideration of this item.

Jacqueline Barnes and Mark Gilks, Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Dr Alex Cooper-Bastien, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW), Jane Eminson,   WMQRS, Jed Francique, Josie Spencer and Mandy Whateley, CWPT, David Healey, Coventry and Warwickshire MIND and Jenni Muskett, Relate all attended the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The briefing note set out the range of CAMHS services which were commissioned locally in the context of a nationally adopted four tiered framework and referred to the key challenges and risks that had been identified by the commissioners and CWPT.  Reference was made to good practice and achievements highlighted in the review report along with the risks and concerns. The immediate actions taken by the commissioners to address the issues were set out and further specific works were highlighted.

The presentation set out the background, scope and process of the review which comprised a two day site visit in July 2014 comprising observation, interviews and review of evidence. Positive key finding for CWPT were highlighted along with the areas identified as requiring attention. The actions being undertaken in the following areas were detailed: service redesign; waiting list management; and self-harm.

The Board questioned all the representatives on a number of issues and responses were provided. Matters raised included:

·  If the partner organisations were aware of the issues, why were they not being dealt with

·  Clarification about the funding implications for the services

·  Whether the review found additional issues that the commissioners and service providers were not aware of

·  The reasons behind the increasing demand for services

·  The benefits of having the single point of entry to ensure patients receive the right service appropriate to their needs

·  Concerns about the problems with record keeping and the vital importance of having documented care plans

·  How the service involves the whole family

·  The views of the commissioners and the main provider regarding the complexities of the commissioning process

·  Details about how the service used telephone calls in light of a concern that this method could be used as oppose to the preferential face to face contact

·  How clinicians were being listened to and how their views had been used to help shape the service

·  Details about waiting times for children and young people suffering abuse and exploitation

·  The measures undertaken to avoid risks to patients including assurances about initial assessments and waiting times for treatment

·  A comparison of funding levels for mental health compared to other areas of the health service

·  Concerns about the provision of services to support Looked After Children, highlighting the importance of ensuring these children have access to the appropriate support they require 

·  The support provided to pupils from local schools including the assistance being given to individual schools to ensure they can respond to any child in need

·  The provision of training for teachers

·  The arrangements for supporting young people aged 16-18 at the Caludon Centre and clarification about the support for patients at the transition stage from childhood to adulthood

·  How the partnership can ensure a consistent integrated approach with an equable service for all across the Coventry and Warwickshire locality

·  Details about how referrals are made and by whom

·  Details about the increasing numbers of patients entering the service and the increasing complexities of individual cases

·  The training, advice and support available to GPs to allow them to support their patients with mental health issues rather than making referrals

·  The preventative work to support young people using illegal drugs which can have a severe impact on mental health

·  The arrangements for dealing with emergency cases

·  Are sufficient questions asked when patients needs are assessed.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The Board noted the action taken to address the findings of the WMQRS peer review and other service pressures identified by commissioners.

(2) The Education and Children’s Services Scrutiny Board (2) be requested to consider the following issues for inclusion in their work programme:

(i) The reduction in school based support to children and young people and their families at an early intervention stage.

(ii) Emotional Health and Well-being services for looked after children and other vulnerable groups.

(3) Councillor Ruane, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People be asked to consider the two issues.