Agenda item

To consider the Joint Wokingham CCG and Wokingham Borough Council Emotional Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2015 to 2017. (20 mins)

The Board considered the Joint Wokingham CCG and Wokingham Borough Council Emotional Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2015 to 2017 which was presented by Brian Grady and Sally Murray.

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

·         A strategy and action plan to improve comprehensive CAMHS had been produced by the Council and Wokingham CCG.

·         Issues included:

o   Rising demand for CAMHS;

o   Rising demand in waiting times;

o   Focus on intervention for those children and young people most in critical need;

o   Workforce capacity.

·         Healthwatch Wokingham had completed an extensive survey of children and young people, identifying emotional health and wellbeing priority issues for Wokingham children and young people, the findings of which informed the strategy.  At least one in ten of those young people who had responded had indicated that they were carers.

·         The six Berkshire Local Authorities had a shared action plan to work more cooperatively across the emotional health and wellbeing pathway. 

·         Brian Grady outlined actions required.  These included:

o   The provision of a more comprehensive CAMHS;

o   A reduction in waiting times;

o   The delivery of improved administration and communication;

o   Better access to services out of hours and in times of crisis;

o   Improving the environment where children and young people are seen or are waiting for CAMHS.

·         Sally Murray informed the Board that with regards to Tier 3 services £6,166,360 had been allocated.  In addition Berkshire West CCGs had committed to increasing Tier 3 spend in Berkshire West by £1 million recurrently and £500K non recurrently from 2015/16.

·         Board members were also informed of Partnership Development Fund grants relating to emotional health and wellbeing.

·         Tiers 1 and 2 were commissioned by the Council and schools.  A mapping exercise had been undertaken.  Councillor Haitham Taylor commented that many schools were facing budget pressures and questioned whether the figures discussed would reduce further.  Brian Grady commented that he believed that the figures already represented a reduction. 

·         The Children and Young People’s Partnership was starting to identify budget priorities and challenges.

·         Sally Murray reminded Board members that the national report ‘Future in Mind: Promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing’ suggested that the emphasis should be on lower tiers to reduce escalation to higher tiers.  Judith Ramsden commented that issues surrounding CAMHS were wider than a need for greater investment in Tier 1 services.

·         Dr Llewellyn emphasised the importance of promoting positive resilience.

·         The Board discussed parity of esteem.

·         The Board was assured that all urgent referrals were being seen by Tier 3 CAMHS within 24 hours.

·         Councillor Bray questioned whether delays in the time between when a young person was first seen and first received treatment would be addressed.  Sally Murray commented that there was a backlog and many of those waiting the longest were those on the ASD diagnostic pathway; which was a diagnostic pathway not a treatment pathway. 

·         Councillor McGhee-Sumner asked how Wokingham compared to its neighbours.  Sally Murray indicated that there was no national comparator and that some other Trusts had a set longer wait time standards.  The 12 week wait time standard had been set locally with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.  Nevertheless, locally Wokingham was not one of the better performers with regards to CAMHS.

·         Councillor Haitham Taylor commented that children in care often had poorer emotional health and wellbeing but that this was not reflected in the action plan.  Brian Grady emphasised that children’s social care colleagues had been consulted on the strategy and action plan.

·         Dr Llewellyn stated that the CAMHS needed to look at vulnerable children and young people and improve the level of responsiveness.

·         In response to a question Dr Winfield indicated that CAMHS was commissioned across Berkshire West but that it was delivered locally.

·         Councillor McGhee-Sumner asked how often the Board would be updated on the progress of the action plan.  Brian Grady indicated that the Children and Young People’s Partnership would receive a quarterly update and that the Board would receive a performance scorecard on a quarterly basis.

·         Jim Stockley commented that although it was disappointing that the strategy still talked of Tiers it was promising to see the commissioning bodies working together.  He asked whether a number of actions had been completed and was informed that they had.

·         In response to a question Brian Grady confirmed that Louise Noble was Wokingham CAMHS Manager at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

RESOLVED:  That

1)   the proposed Emotional Health and Wellbeing strategy be agreed;

2)   partnership commitment to the strategy Action Plan that aims to build a transformed comprehensive Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) offer to families which is seamless and moves away from boundaries created by Tiered provision, be provided;

3)   action to ensure that the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment process be improved in its analysis of children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing, be required and that a performance scorecard be agreed across commissioners and providers for comprehensive CAMHS to be presented quarterly at Health and Wellbeing Board;

4)   responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the action plan be delegated to the Children and Young People’s Partnership.