Agenda item

Michael Hargreaves from Healthy Young Minds will report at the meeting and answer questions in relation to mental health services available for young people.

Dr Cathy Fines from Bury CCG attended the meeting to explain about mental health services for young people in Bury, how the CCG commissioned those services and how they were delivered.

Dr Fines explained that the CCGs priorities in relation to mental health services were:

• Improving transition between services for young people and adults services.
• Improving access to vulnerable groups
• Improving access for 16 – 18 year olds
• Improving/providing support within schools through link workers

Dr Fines reported that achievements had been made across Bury in the following areas:

• Community eating disorder service
• Single point of access
• Community hubs – working together to integrate services

The Manager of Healthy Young Minds (formerly CAMHS) Kim Marshall explained what Healthy Young Minds provides:

• Working with young people on the cusp of being admitted into hospital
• Single point of access with a daily duty manager offering screen referrals
• Support in schools
• Services up to the age of 18
• Working with other professionals such as football coaches, teachers, youth club workers to offer support outside of mental health services
• Hub working with other agencies and organisations such as adults and children’s social care, police, housing services, fire services who can offer support at different levels.

It was reported that there had been a mental health open day which had been very successful.

Those present were given the opportunity to ask questions and the following points were raised:

·         It was asked whether young people felt intimidated meeting with professionals in a professional setting and whether other options were offered.

It was explained that the team would work with the young person to make sure that they were happy with how they were supported.

·         It was asked whether a young person would be able to be supported by a friend at any of the meetings.

It was explained that sometimes the cases could be very complex and involve confidential information relating to a number of different people so this would not always be appropriate. There was work being carried out to train young people to offer support and help as a peer.

·         Councillor Cathcart referred to bereavement and loss in relation to issues such as flooding and homelessness, family break ups and changing schools and asked how this could be dealt with. Councillor Cathcart explained that a large number of children had been affected by the floods at the back end of 2015 and were still trying to access support

It was explained that schools could refer issues to the service who could offer 1:1 support or group sessions for issues that may affect a number of their students such as flooding or major trauma.

·         Dr Fines asked the young people present whether they knew about the service and how to access it.

It was suggested that young people could find out how to access services through schools and one young person present at the meeting reported that Bury Grammar School promoted the service to its pupils.

·         Councillor Cathcart referred to the emotion app that had been discussed at previous meetings and reported that it had now been launched. The app was called MEmotional and he asked that the young people present have a look at it so that they could give feedback.

It was agreed:

That Dr Cathy Fines and Kim Marshall be thanked for their presentation.