Agenda item

18.1        The Board considered a report on the Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Programme, which was introduced by Jessica Britton, Deputy Chief Delivery & Strategy Officer and Director of Strategic Commissioning, NHS Sussex. The report focusses on the work of CAMHS and the Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in schools as well as some of wider work that is undertaken on children’s and young people’s mental health. The work aligns with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the key priorities for this year include:

·       Early Support

·       Crisis Support

·       Specialist CAMHS

·       Pathway Interface

18.2     There are a range of workstreams to deliver this work which has included a stock take of mental health services for children and young people across Sussex. The report outlines the focus in East Sussex such as stepped care, CAMHS, MHSTs and further work rollout.

18.3     Catherine Dooley, Strategic Lead, Safeguarding and Emotional Wellbeing gave an overview of the work on MHSTs and the partnership work with the Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (SPFT). There has been an improved offer on the whole school approach and all schools now have a funded offer.

18.4     Carolyn Fair, Director of Children’s Services welcomed the report which is important as approximately 25% of children and young people have a probable mental health difficulty. Therefore, it is important to focus on lower level and higher-level need.

18.5     Councillor Webb asked how much mental health training do schools and teachers receive, including those without an MHST. Catherine Dooley responded that every school is encouraged to identify a mental health lead and training is available via a Department for Education (DfE) grant. This can be difficult to track but it is thought up to 70% of schools in East Sussex have a mental health lead. There is work underway to try and improve the training offer for mental health leads and for staff via Inset days.

18.6     Stephen Lightfoot thanked officers for the report and commented that he was really happy to see the work focused on children’s mental health. People want advice and there is an untapped demand where people do not always know where to go for advice. He asked how we promote iRock and the Single Point of Access (SPOA), but also the 111 service and primary care services that offer advice. How to we triage this so that young people and parents know where to go.

18.7     Jessica Britton outlined that we do review and regularly update all the information provided across the System on NHS Sussex and partner websites, and send that information out through a range of community providers well as through GPs and other primary care providers. Feedback is also looked at on how easy the information is to access and navigate. Children and young people are involved in the work taking place which is looking at how easy the information is to access.

18.8     Alison Nuttall, Managing Director for Specialist Services, SPFT added that SPFT use a similar methodology of using website and apps to provide information about services. SPFT also run freely available webinars for parents, which are recorded and made available on the website. For example, this could be about how to support your young person’s anxiety and is accompanied by sending out a pack of resources. A similar approach is taken with schools and there is a big schools conference in November to help them with strategies and places to go for information and resource materials. If young people are referred to Specialist Services at SPFT, they are kept in touch with whilst they wait with letter containing sign posting information for support materials and where else you can get support. SPFT are in the process of redesigning the CAMHS website site and engaging with young people to ensure it is attractive, accessible and used well.

18.9     The Chair asked if there is a mechanism to ensure there is a sharing of information on mental health issues or does it happen naturally. Alison Nuttall responded probably some of each is happening. SPFT has very open information on the website which is shared with young people, families and schools, as well as the voluntary sector providers SPFT work with. Information should also be something that can be accessed via GP practices. SPFT is always open to using other organisations communications channels if that would spread the information further.

18.10   Stephen Lightfoot commented that you cannot communicate enough and should use every possible channel to ensure young people have a source of information that they trust. In order to take a preventative approach and support young people’s long-term health and wellbeing, good information and advice is needed to avoid mental health issues becoming serious and turning into a crisis.

18.11 Carolyn Fair commented that page 19 of the SDP report appendix 1 sets out some of the initiatives around communications, advice and guidance and the East Sussex One Space directory which has around 190 sources of information and guidance about mental health and emotional wellbeing.

18.12   Councillor Ballard commented that the work outlined in the report is a very promising and productive direction of travel. The idea of prevention and stopping young people going as far as needing specialist support is a good one, given the pressure CAMHS is under. Councillor Ballard asked what actions are in place in the medium term to mitigate the problems with access to CAMHS as the waiting lists are currently too long and residents want to see action to reduce waiting times.

18.13   Alison Nuttall responded that for CAMHS services at the front door, if you are referred you will now be seen within 4 weeks in East Sussex, so progress has been made. If you need ongoing treatment, it might not be quite as quick, but SPFT are seeing people much quicker. The prevention work is really important too, and work on this is a primary focus of the Delivery Board.

18.14.  The Board RESOLVED to note the content of the report.