I warmly welcome national progress that has been made in bringing discussions about mental health to the forefront of public consciousness, however there is always more that can be done. Here in Medway, we are committed to delivering the very best service to all residents who need support.
Would the Portfolio Holder please provide an overview of the measures Medway Council has put in place to ensure vulnerable members of our community are being given the necessary care to protect and improve their mental wellbeing?
Minutes:
“I warmly welcome national progress that has been made in bringing discussions about mental health to the forefront of public consciousness, however there is always more that can be done. Here in Medway, we are committed to delivering the very best service to all residents who need support.
Would the Portfolio Holder please provide an overview of the measures Medway Council has put in place to ensure vulnerable members of our community are being given the necessary care to protect and improve their mental wellbeing?”
Councillor Brake thanked Councillor Opara for her question. He stated that improving and enhancing the mental wellbeing of residents was as important as addressing physical health problems.
He stated that anyone could be affected by mental health issues. Helping people who were experiencing difficulties early, was key to addressing any deterioration in their wellbeing. The Council led a strong mental wellbeing training programme in Medway. This gave frontline staff the skills and confidence to identify people experiencing mental health problems and support them to get help.
He stated that the Council had an extensive healthy settings programme, which enabled Medway schools and local workplaces to access mental health first aid training. This training gave individuals the tools to support colleagues who were experiencing challenges within the workplace.
He stated that increasing the resilience of the community, would in the long term, improve the ability of Medway’s residents to cope more effectively with the stresses and strains of life. The “five ways to wellbeing” programme the Council delivered, helped individuals cope with stress. By taking simple steps, for example, going out into open spaces more, people would learn how to deal with the pressures of life.
The Council’s social care team had implemented a ‘three conversations model’. This helped people identify things they can do for themselves. It promoted good mental wellbeing, focusing on an individual’s personal skills and their resources, putting them in control and focusing on the areas they might need support with to build and lead the best life possible.
For those who were experiencing mental health problems, there were a range of services with support tailored to people’s needs. As part of the Medway Model, Medway CCG had put in place support for people with mental health problems. Individuals could get help from their GPs and primary mental health workers. Medway also had a Talking Therapies service, which offered face to face or online therapy.
The Council’s Community Support Outreach Team and Mental Health Resource Centre provided specialist support to people with mental health problems in the community. This was in addition to a team of specialist Allied Mental Health Professions (AMHPs) to assess people who were in crisis to ensure that they would receive the treatment and ongoing support they require.
Councillor Brake also stated that the importance of good mental health was reflected in recent development of an adult mental health strategy for Medway. The Health and Wellbeing Board would oversee the delivery of this strategy over the coming years.
He concluded by stating that the Council would continue to work with its partners to improve the outcomes for local residents experiencing mental health issues.