In a new report, the Committee concludes that while the Government has a "laudable ambition" to improve these services, "we are sceptical about whether this is affordable, or achievable without compromising other services".
The Committee finds pressure on the NHS budget will make it very difficult to achieve 'parity of esteem' between mental and physical health and that this is a task "for the whole of government".
People living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will now be able to access a new mental health team when they dial 111.
The new pilot scheme is being launched today (Monday, 19 September) by mental health and community care provider Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT).
Also today, Mind in Cambridgeshire, working closely with CPFT, is opening a second “safe-haven” in Peterborough for those experiencing a mental health crisis. The organisation successfully launched the first Sanctuary in Cambridge, in April this year.
The moves are part of the Urgent and Emergency Care Vanguard programme in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
A digital dashboard showing daily updates of progress against the new access and waiting time standard for Early Interventional in Psychosis (EIP) is helping improve outcomes in Berkshire.
[Moving the male and female dementia wards onto the same site] With the male ward, Bernard Ward, and the female ward, Tower Ward, now housed in the same building the Landermere Centre will focus on becoming a Centre of Excellence in caring for patients living with dementia and experiencing challenging behavior. Having a ‘critical mass’ of specialist staff in the one unit benefits both the patients and staff with the dedicated expert team better able to cope with the demands of caring for this group of patients. Benefits to patients include having specialist staff available to swap between wards when necessary to ease staff shortages, improving access to the community for such things as Church services and links to organisations such as Alzheimer’s Society.
The work to accommodate the new ward at the Landermere Centre has also included a serenity suite for calming agitated patients, assistive technology in rooms and a sensory garden.
The Shared Lives model will support people who have needs which make it hard for them to live on their own. This is achieved by matching them with a Shared Lives carer to share their family and lives, receiving care and support in the community. People using Shared Lives may have a learning disability, dementia, mental health problem or other needs which need long or short term support. It will offer them the opportunity to either live with their matched and approved Shared Lives carer, or visit them regularly for day support or overnight breaks.
In an initiative supported by both 2gether NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, the premises will enable adults to access support, therapy and advice for up to two weeks.
Dr Donna Lovell, Chief Executive Officer of Swindon Mind, said: “We have experience of running a similar wellbeing house in another part of the country. The service can prove to be a lifeline for people who might be experiencing the early stages of mental health crisis or for those who are experiencing emotional distress.
“We have learnt that sometimes people in emotional distress require a temporary place to stay away from their home but that a hospital environment or medical intervention is not always the best option.
Today we have launched a new publication which showcases projects that promote early intervention in mental health and draws out tips from the commissioners and practitioners involved in their development and delivery.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and mental health charity Mind in Cambridgeshire have teamed up to offer a new safe haven for those experiencing a mental heath crisis in Peterborough.
The Sanctuary will open on Monday, 19 September to allow people to get practical and emotional support.
The move marks the start of the latest stage of the Urgent and Emergency Care Vanguard programme in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
NHS organisations together with local authorities, police and representatives from the third sector have combined to launch a number of projects aimed at improving the way urgent mental health care is delivered and to reduce the pressures on accident and emergency departments.
Street Triage is a collaborative service between mental health workers and police which aims to improve the emergency response to individuals experiencing crisis, but peer reviewed evidence of the effectiveness of these services is limited. We examined the design and potential impact of two services, along with factors that hindered and facilitated the implementation of the services.
Mental health, police and emergency services in Avon and Somerset have joined forces to ensure that those with mental health problems get the care they need in Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.
On 5 September, Avon and Somerset Police and Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, in partnership with NHS North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bristol and Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and Avon Fire and Rescue Service, will launch a mental health triage service operating at Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters in Portishead.
Early intervention for psychosis (EIP) is a model of service delivery that aims to support young people with first-episode psychosis by providing the best available treatments, supporting recovery and preventing relapse. In this editorial, we review the evidence for EIP, how the model has developed since its inclusion in the NHS policy implementation guideline for mental health in 2001, challenges and areas of ongoing debate, and future development. You can request a copy of this article by replying to this email. Please ensure you are clear which article you are requesting.
Health services face the challenges created by complex problems, and so need complex intervention solutions. However they also experience ongoing difficulties in translating findings from research in this area in to quality improvement changes on the ground. BounceBack was a service development innovation project which sought to examine this issue through the implementation and evaluation in a primary care setting of a novel complex intervention.
Methods
The project was a collaboration between a local mental health charity, an academic unit, and GP practices. The aim was to translate the charity’s model of care into practice-based evidence describing delivery and impact. Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was used to support the implementation of the new model of primary mental health care into six GP practices. An integrated process evaluation evaluated the process and impact of care in northern England..
New guidance from NICE says mental health staff, working in hospitals and in the community, need to build good relationships as early as possible with people who are moving between services.
A therapy team at SSSFT reduced length of stay by 54% and saved over £15,000 per year.
The therapy pathway at East Wing George Bryan Centre was reviewed and T.Ohno’s Seven Wastes principle established many issues which we overcame
The money will fund a new £223,500 custom-built section 136 suite for adults, children and young people at Millview Hospital in Hove, with a further £190,000 awarded to establish urgent mental health care lounges within Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital both in East Sussex. The Trust has also secured an additional £222,861 for improved mental health provisions in West Sussex including a street triage vehicle, a new place of safety for children and young people in Chichester, a new crisis lounge in Bognor Regis and refurbishments to three A&E sites at Langley Green Hospital in Crawley, Worthing General Hospital and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester to deliver improved mental health support suites within a more appropriate setting.
The new model of care for low and medium secure adult mental health services aims to provide care closer to home and reduce the need for hospital admissions and out-of-area treatments.
The NHS trusts making up the network, along with Southern Health, are: Oxford Health (who led the bid); Berkshire Healthcare; Central and Northwest London; Solent; and Dorset HealthCare; along with Response, a charity that provides home-based mental health care.
“These local hubs mean we’re bringing our service into the local community close to where people live, making it as easy as possible for them to get the help and support they need.”
He added: “We’re developing a timetable of activities at all our hubs including group and one-to-one work, arts and crafts, as well as mutual aid groups using our acclaimed volunteer and peer mentor programme.
“We’re also able to offer links to local gyms, health and fitness, education and employment opportunities via our employment and education workers.”