Agenda item

Report of Juliet Hancox, Chief Operating Officer, Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group

The Board considered a report of Juliet Hancox, Chief Operating Officer, Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) detailing progress with the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat and the associated requirements for the Health and Well-being Board member organisations. A copy of Coventry’s position statement and action plan were set out at appendices attached to the report.

The Crisis Care Concordat was published in February, 2014 and was underpinned by ‘Closing the Gap: priorities for essential change in Mental Health’ which outlined a programme to deliver essential services for people who experienced Mental Health Crisis and came into contact with emergency and acute services. It had been developed in partnership with the Department of Health and the charity MIND. The concordat aimed to ensure that people in mental health crisis received the appropriate response from services regardless of access routes. It was concerned with recovery, early intervention and prevention in line with the principles of the Care Act 2014. It was a joint statement between over 20 senior representatives from key national organisations.

Reference was made to the significant work undertaken at national level to progress the concordat.

At a local level the local Crisis Concordat Declaration was published in November, 2014 which confirmed the key agencies commitment to work together to deliver an improved response to people in mental health crisis. During January, 2015 a review was undertaken of current provision and the best practice in the concordat, and a position statement and action plan developed. The Department of Health had acknowledged that detailed plans would not be available at this stage but expected local plans to be published on their website by 31^st March, 2015 demonstrating commitment and progress.

The action plan was still very high level and would require detailed consultation with partners over the coming months to develop the appropriate level of detail. In summary there were four areas where improvements were needed as follows:

i) Access to support before crisis point

ii) Urgent and emergency access to crisis care

iii) Quality of treatment and care when in crisis

iv) Recovery and staying well / prevention.

In light of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust and the West Midlands Ambulance Service operating across both Coventry and Warwickshire, it had been decided to work sub-regionally with colleagues from Warwickshire County Council.

Members of the Board raised a number of issues including:

·  The intention for mental health to be considered at a future Board meeting later in 2015

·  A concern about the lack of involvement of Healthwatch

·  The importance of data sharing across the partner organisations

·  The requirement to have respite care in place for dementia sufferers to provide support for their carers

RESOLVED that:

(1) The draft multi-agency action plan be supported ahead of 31^st March, 2015 when the plan is required to be uploaded onto the Department of Health website.

(2) The future activity in respect of the Crisis Care Action Plan for Warwickshire and the implementation of the plan be endorsed and supported.

(3) Mental Health and Information Sharing to be agenda items at future Board meetings during 2015.