Agenda and minutes

Apologies weredetailed above.

Members of the Joint Committee are asked to consider whether they have an interest in any of the matters on the agenda and, if so, to formally declare that interest.

Councillors Gordonand Walkerdeclared personalinterests in all mattersunder consideration asthey areboth membersof thePennine CareFoundation Trust.

Members of the public present at the meeting are invited to ask questions on any matter relating to the work or performance of the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.  A period of up to 30 minutes will be set aside for public questions.

There were noquestions frommembers ofthe public

Minutes of the last meeting held on the 17^th September are attached.

Itwas agreed:

Theminutes ofthe meetingheld onthe 17 September2015 beapproved asa correct record.

Members of the Joint Committee will consider a verbal presentation from:

A.   Representatives from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will report at the meeting. Reports attached.

B.   Director of Public Health Rochdale MBC and Chair of the Greater Manchester Suicide Prevention Group will report at the meeting.

(A)     Members ofthe JointHealth Overview andScrutiny Committeeconsidered a verbalpresentation fromBen Woffenden,Complaints Manager, PennineCare FoundationTrust in relation to complaints to the Trust arising from suspected suicides. Thepresentation containedthe following information:

•           According to information from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, the number of confirmed suicides/ coroner open verdicts across the Trust footprint between 2011 and 2013 ranged from 100 to 120.

•           There were difficulties in establishing how many of these individuals may have been service users of the Trust.

•           The number of complaints to the Trust relating to services users who had committed suicide (as identified by the complainant) were low with on more than 3 per year since 2012/13.

•           The type of issues raised in the complaints included the appropriateness of clinical care; communication with other agencies; communication with families and carer; contact with families and carers following a service user’s death; the Trust’s involvement in the Coroner’s Inquest; the accuracy of information contained in records.

•           Such complaints were challenging to respond to, given the sensitivity of the issues; the fact that someone has died; the impact on the complainant, and staff; complexity of the issues involved; fact that the complainant may not necessarily represent the whole family’s view.

•           The importance of learning from complaints and amending processes accordingly.

Matt Walsh, Head of Patient Safety reported that the Trust had a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy but that this would be refreshed, working closely with Local Authorities and other agencies in the districts to ensure a co-ordinated and coherent approach. He also stressed the need to ensure the Strategy was better linked to front line service provision.

Dr Henry Ticehurst, Medical Director stressed the importance of responding earlier in care pathways to detect and prevent avoidable self-harming and suicide, but highlighted that 75% of suicides were of people outside of services. A coordinated approach with Public Health services was needed to better understand population need and prevention.

The Medical Director emphasised the importance of overcoming the stigma of suicide and encouraging those with concerns to ask ‘awkward’ questions. He also stressed the need for consistency and coherence across services in Greater Manchester, including understanding the range of services available through the Third Sector.

(b) Members ofthe JointHealth Overview andScrutiny Committeeconsidered a verbalpresentation fromWendy Meston, Chair of the GM Suicide Prevention Group, on the work of the Group and population level issues. The presentation contained the following information:-

•           The work at Greater Manchester followed the themes in the national Suicide Prevention Strategy, seeking to identify what activity was best done across the entire footprint but also to reduce variation in provision and to share best practice.

•           The importance of collecting data to monitor effectiveness of interventions, including ‘live’ data prior to coroner verdicts.

•           The value of ‘Post-vention’ to support family members and those connected  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

Any other business which by reason of special circumstances the Chair agrees may be considered as a matter of urgency.

There wasno urgentbusiness reported.