Agenda item

Report attached.

A presentation was made at the meeting by Karen Whitehead (Strategic Lead Inclusion & Partnerships) and Jemma Billing (Senior Children’s Commissioner CCG) to give an update on children’s mental health services during the Covid outbreak and the recovery plans.

An introduction was made to Members that in response to the current pandemic Bury OCO had worked in partnership with all providers to design a graduated approach to support schools and parents to access the right support at the right time.

Currently referrals into all mental health services have significantly reduced. As a consequence of this they currently had no waiting times and were in a position to respond to the changing needs the pandemic will bring.

Details were presented on the Multi-Agency Graduated Response.

Bury Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Healthy Young Minds –previously CAMHS) offered specialist services to children and young people who were experiencing mental health difficulties. The service was delivered by Pennine Care Foundation Trust and is the core Children and Young People (CYP) mental health service in Bury.

Figures were also given on Mental Health Access Standards, Waiting Time Standard’s and information on the CCG Assurance / Recovery Planning phase.

Data would be reviewed at GM level post Covid and it was expected there would be around a 20% increase on pre Covid levels. Members asked if there were the resources and funding to cope with the anticipated extra demand on the service.

Councillors commented and supported the Bury Youth Cabinet together with Bury Grammar school inviting children and young people to write letters to people in communities that are isolated during the covid-19 pandemic.

The Chair stated that not all schools had returned and was there anything extra being offered between now and the end of the academic term.

The Multi-Agency Graduated Response provided a number of support mechanisms to schools and this included an anxiety course which had been developed by HYM’s. Places would be available for schools and they had been encourage to book places to upskill their staff in supporting their students.

Julie Gonda, Director of Community Commissioning also presented update information to the committee about Mental Health services for adults.

An overview was detailed on the Bury Mental Health Snapshot Pre-Covid along with a performance report for May 2020.

The presentation provided a summary on:

• Delayed Transfers of Care
• High risk groups for mental health issues from the impact of Covid
• Mental Health revised services
• PCFT changes to their services
• New mental health services in response to covid19
• Community Support
• New Bury Voluntary Sector Mental Health Service from Earlybreak
• Bury Digital Services
• Communications work
• Voluntary Community Support
• Mental Health Recovery Work

The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership (GMHSCP) requested support from Health Innovation Manchester (HInM) to develop and carry out a quick snapshot review to help inform the Greater Manchester (GM) Mental Health (MH) recovery planning and prioritisation process.

The following themes have emerged from stakeholder engagement across the system.

• More people experiencing mental health issues in the general population who do not meet clinical thresholds
• COVID-19 has exacerbated existing inequalities
• Organisations and communities have worked together in response to COVID-19 and there is a desire to further build on this
• The response to COVID-19 has accelerated innovation particularly in the digital field

Next steps of the process included:-

•          Establish the Bury MH Recovery Group

•          Desktop review of MH Support/Need in Covid Recovery Phase over the coming months

•          Refresh of MH THRIVE project plans and milestones based on MH Covid needs analysis review

•          Work with LCO and Bury People to influence recovery plans

•          Review BAME needs and support

•          Review MH homeless support

Members asked about older people shielding who were becoming isolated and lonely. Whilst they may not be diagnosed with any mental health issues was there some form of service available such as phone call or buddy scheme and were these cases being recorded in the system.

It was reported that the community hubs had worked closely with clinical services and the approach had been positive although Councillors should refer any concerns for individuals to the service. More research would be conducted to investigate if further outreach support could be provided.

A Member commented that churches had closed and these used to be a good meeting point for people to talk at coffee mornings.

Another Councillor on the committee enquired how people with learning disabilities had been coping. It was confirmed that services were in place to check that people have contact with a key care worker.

A Councillor enquired what measures were in place for homeless people.

It was reported that homeless people were classed as one of the at risk groups and further information on this subject including the statistics would be sent to the Councillor directly.

The Chair thanked all the Officers involved for their attendance at the meeting and the detailed information they had provided in the presentations.

It was agreed:

That the report and presentations be noted and that further details could be presented at a future meeting to explain how all customer groups had been catered for.