Agenda item

To consider the findings of the Mental Health Services for Young People Task Group and any recommendations proposed by the group.

(Report attached)

Councillor Nina Wood-Ford, Chair of the Mental Health Services for Young People Task Group, gave a brief presentation on the Task Group’s final report.  She was accompanied by Jess Bayley, Democratic Services Officer and report author.  In addition to the Task Group’s report which appeared in the agenda papers, Members also had before them a Minute Extract and recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee’s meeting of 28th March 2017, which had been circulated as Additional Papers 1.  It was noted that at the O&S meeting in March the Task Group had been advised that a different department at Worcestershire County Council organised Youth Mental Health First Aid training.  The words “Public Health Department” had therefore been removed from the wording of Recommendation 3.  

Councillor Wood-Ford explained the background to the report, which had arisen in light of concerns about the prevalence of mental health issues in Redditch.  The Task Group wanted to focus on children and young people for early intervention purposes.  Some of the categories of people who were at higher risk of mental health and wellbeing problems were highlighted, and it was noted that Redditch had:

·       higher levels of deprivation that the county average (one of the higher risk categories);

·       a higher proportion of young people in the local population than the county average;

·       higher than average mental ill health problems than the county average; and

·       a higher suicide rate than the average for the county.

The review had taken place at a time of change to mental health services.  The following public documents which had been relevant to the review were emerging, or being implemented, as the review had taken place:

·       Worcestershire Transformation Plan for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing;

·       West Midlands Combined Authority’s Mental Health Commission’s Thrive West Midlands Action Plan; and

·       Suicide Prevention Plan for Redditch.

The Task Group’s report had resulted in a total of seven recommendations which were designed to help young people and the people who worked with them.  The Executive Committee was being asked to determine Recommendations 4, 5 and 6 only.  Recommendations 1, 2 and 3 were recommendations to external organisations and for noting only.  Recommendation 7, which related to the reconvening of the Task Group in 12 months’ time to monitor progress in the Borough against actions set out in the documents referred to above, had been resolved by O&S and, again, was for noting only.

Members thanked the Task Group for an extremely helpful report and the hard work that had been put into this very important issue.  The Council had been the only authority in the county to sign up to the West Midlands Mental Health Concordat, and invaluable work was also being carried out on the ‘Time to Talk’ initiative which the Council had pledged support to and which UNISON was leading on within the Council.

Members noted Recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 7.  In relation to Recommendation 4, the Leader stated that he was happy to write the proposed letter to the Secretary of State for Education and to work with the appropriate O&S Member(s) to compile this.  The Leader also suggested that a copy of the Task Group’s report be sent to the Member of Parliament for Redditch with a covering letter making her aware of the contents of this in light of her work for the town. 

The proposals at Recommendation 6 to review the implications for Council Services of Actions 4 and 5 of the West Midlands Combined Authority Mental Health Commission's Thrive West Midlands Action Plan, and that the outcomes of this work be reported for the Executive Committee’s consideration in due course, were also supported.  It was noted that this would complement work which was already being undertaken by the Council.  Officers undertook to forward a copy of the Thrive West Midlands Action Plan to Members following the meeting.   

The Executive Committee did not support Recommendation 5, which proposed the establishment of a new theme dedicated to projects which helped people experiencing mental health and wellbeing problems under the Council’s grants programme.  Members were of the view that the current themes provided sufficient scope for applications from voluntary and community sector organisations that worked in these fields, with many grants having been awarded over the years to organisations whose work included mental health and wellbeing elements.  Councillor Wood-Ford responded that the recommendation had arisen following feedback from such organisations that they were unaware that they could apply to the Council for grant funding.  Members agreed that as much awareness as possible of the grants process, the existing themes and the types of applications which could be made under these was key to ensuring that as many organisations as possible applied for grants.  They requested therefore that any efforts currently undertaken by Officers in promoting the grants process be doubled to heighten awareness.

RESOLVED that

1)          the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt. Hon. Justine Greening, urging her to ensure that Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) Lessons, to include lessons about mental health and wellbeing issues, become a statutory part of the national school curriculum (Recommendation 4 in the report);

2)          a new theme dedicated to projects which help people experiencing mental health and wellbeing problems not be added to the Council’s grants programme (Recommendation 5 in the report); and

3)          Senior Officers, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Corporate  Management and Housing respectively, review the implications for Council Services of the following actions detailed in the West Midlands Combined Authority Mental Health Commission’s Thrive West Midlands Action Plan:

Action 4: the proposal to evaluate a financial incentive to encourage companies to demonstrate their commitment to mental health and wellbeing; and

Action 5: the proposal to help people to gain housing and work (including potentially supported accommodation); and

the outcomes of this work be reported for the consideration of the Executive Committee (Recommendation 6 in the report).

RESOLVED to NOTE the following recommendations from the Task Group to the Emotional Wellbeing and CAMHS Partnership Board and Worcestershire County Council that:

4)          Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) should not withdraw services from young people who fail to engage during their appointments (Recommendation 1 in the report);

5)          a representative of the new Liaison and Diversion Service for Worcestershire should work as a Change Champion in Connecting Families once the service starts to operate in the county (Recommendation 2 in the report); and

6)          Worcestershire County Council should review the provision of Youth Mental Health First Aid training to determine whether a concessionary rate could be offered to enable staff from smaller Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to participate. (Recommendation 3 in the report).

RESOLVED to NOTE the following recommendation from the Task Group to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee that:

7)          the Mental Health Services for Young People Task Group should be reconvened in 12 months’ time to receive monitoring updates from Officers about progress in the Borough with the implementation of:

a)          the actions detailed in the Worcestershire Transformation Plan for Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health;

b)          the West Midlands Combined Authority Mental Health Commission’s Thrive West Midlands: An Action Plan to Drive Better Health and Wellbeing in the West Midlands; and

c)          the Suicide Prevention Plan for Redditch (Recommendation 7 in the report).