The report of the Director of Public Health and Director of Keeping Well (Document “O”) provides an update of the current situation in mental health and mental health services for adults and gives an overview of the work that has taken place over the last year to both prevent mental illness, and to support those with mental ill-health, including those that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recommended –

The Committee are asked to note the progress of the system in responding to the Covid-19 mental health needs assessment of July 2020. 

(Kris Farnell/Sarah Exall - 01274 237537)

The report of the Director of Public Health and Director of Keeping Well (Document “O”) provided an update of the current situation in mental health and mental health services for adults and gave an overview of the work that had taken place over the last year to both prevent mental illness, and to support those with mental ill-health, including those that had been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two Directors were present and were requested by the Chair to make representations to the committee. In October 2020, the CCG and the Public Health department of CBMDC brought a paper to this committee highlighting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of Bradford districts’ residents. This paper considered the insight and evidence from a Covid-19 mental health needs assessment published in July of that year. The needs assessment highlighted the increased risk of mental illness – notably depression, anxiety, and suicide – in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. All communities in Bradford were potentially affected. However, some communities were thought to be at greater risk than others of mental illness. The needs assessment was used to develop plans and identify areas of need for future spending on mental health across the system.

This report aimed to describe how this has been used to target work and investments, with the overarching aims of improving mental health, preventing mental health decline, reducing inequalities, and improving services for those who need them. In response to the findings of the needs assessment, the service restated its strategic ambitions for improving mental wellbeing and reducing inequalities in mental health across Bradford District and Craven within a refreshed local mental wellbeing strategy. In turn, key programmes of work were established to drive forward improvements required across our community mental health provision and crisis, liaison, and acute mental health services. These programmes were facilitated under the governance of our Act as One partnership.

Following presentation of the report, a PowerPoint was provided to the committee that gave a narrative of work functions undertaken, as following:

·         Overview

o   A rapid Mental Health Needs Assessment in July 2020 highlighted the increased risk of mental illness as a result of the covid-19 pandemic;

o   The needs assessment was used to develop plans and identify areas of need for future spending on mental health across the system;

o   Represented system approach to mental health for adults, and demonstrates the close partnership working which is vital to our efforts; Set out the challenges faced in the coming months and years.

·         Partnership Work and Governance

·         Local Needs

·         Reducing inequalities

·         Prevention and Early Intervention

·         Community Mental Health Transformation

·         Crisis and Liaison Acute Mental Health Services

·         Challenges

·         Successes

·         Next Steps

A question and answer session ensued:

·         Unfortunately, a number of support services had temporarily paused due to lockdown restrictions and therefore unable to maintain a safe continuity of crucial services with a view to ensuring people could stay well or get well and be able to access timely crisis support when needed. So what action has been taken to make people aware of services being revived?

o   All projects were set up to ensure that they were accessible and culturally competent to the diverse communities across Bradford. A needs assessment has been used to develop plans and identify areas of need for future spending on mental health across the system, amongst many –

§  Efforts had been invested towards a digital portal known as The Healthy Minds Site which has been developed in partnership with VSC, statutory providers and leading technology partners, provides information to all mental health services across Bradford and Craven. This website was under continued development to ensure it evolved to meet the emerging needs of the community. It held a comprehensive directory of services and a Wellbeing Assistant that could help people identify and find the support they may find useful based on how they were feeling rather than requiring a diagnosis. The management information gathered also helped the service to understand what people were looking for and so adds to the data to inform service developments;

§  There was ongoing excellent work of the Community Champions project, started as a response to Covid, had been realigned following consultations with the Champions identifying their priorities, to take a focus on mental health. This project was taking advantage of the interest, enthusiasm and connections of approximately 250 community volunteers, supported by local VCS organisations, to start discussions and links within their communities about mental health; and,

§  Small Grants further funding was also provided to local VCS organisations in the form of a small grants programme, which has to date funded a broad range of organisations for diverse target groups and a broad range of interventions. These interventions would help communities to get through the difficult winter period and reduce the need for crisis services.

·         Was there a user and carer involvement service being offered?

o   Yes, there was a large group of service user involvement and carers of patients in practice that were involved in most aspects of services. The group was very diverse with many young people including carers of other over the age spectrum;

·         Officers were well acquainted with the operational aspects of the voluntary sector but how will companies that have been awarded contracts be audited and accountable on the use of public funds?

o   This area function would come under the directives, regulations, policies and guidance relating to the procurement of supplies, services and works on behalf of the council;

·         In reference to paragraph 3.1.8 in the report, had the forecast of modelling for future demand of secondary care services communication also focus on BAME include access for older people?

o   The service had ensured that the language and content during communication was tailored for connecting with the elderly of the BAME community in order to reduce loneliness and increase mental wellbeing amongst ethnic minority communities; and,

·         What inequality factors were being addressed in order to widen public access to psychological therapy?

o   A needs assessment had highlighted an increased impact on Black and Minority Ethnic communities, people with a high level of poor wellbeing and mental health conditions, older people and other vulnerable groups.  South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the Centre for Mental Health had produced modelling tools to consider new demand for Psychological Therapy.  The model indicated a higher demand for mild to moderate anxiety and moderate depressions for primary care focussing on Improving Access to Psychological Therapy. 

Resolved:-

That an update, including information on the reviews of IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) and older adults, be presented in 12 months.

Action: Director of Public Health / Director of Living Well