Agenda item

This report sets out the response from West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group in respect of the request at the last meeting for regular updates on the position with the acute mental health inpatient beds review. 

Discussion:

The Chief Officer, West Kent Commissioning Group introduced the acute mental health inpatient bed review update and he and the Chief Executive, and Director of Operations from Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) responded to Members’ questions.

The view was put forward that it would be more helpful in future to have the daily occupancy details of the bed usage rather than monthly and to have full details of where Medway residents were being placed in centres of excellence out of area, even if this had to be provided in an exempt format to protect confidential information.  It was agreed that this could be provided along with an update on travel arrangements for families and details of non-Kent and Medway residents occupying acute inpatient mental health beds in Kent and Medway.

The Director of Operations from KMPT agreed, following a Member request, to check what information was available to carers and families of service users in relation to assistance with transport.

In response to further questions the following responses were received from the Chief Executive and Director of Operations, KMPT:

• In relation to the Personality Disorder pilot of intensive day treatment this commenced in November 2013 and positive feedback had been received so far.  The success of the unit should reduce admissions to inpatient beds
• There would be a small number of beds at the unit in Park Avenue, Gillingham and the remainder of the people using the service would be attending for day services (around 24 patients). It was agreed that the numbers on site at any one time would be checked and reported back.  It was also agreed that further discussions would take place with the Police as it was stated that they had some concerns.  Clarification would also be provided about the staff/patient ratio at Park Avenue
• Work with the Police to avoid the need for them to use section 136 regulations (the over-reliance on section 136 detentions had been identified as an issue as a result of a Care Quality Commission during a recent inspection) to detain people had been very successful and further engagement was planned.  A single point of contact had also been established to make it easier for the Police to have easier access to mental health advice
• Support had been given by NHS Medway CCG to there being a 24/7 presence of mental health staff in the hospital

A request was made for more information in relation to street triage to explain what was actually happening as opposed to what had been planned.  Thanks were put forward to KMPT for the work undertaken to engage with residents, relatives/carers and Members around the plans for Canada House. 

Discussion took place about the reconfiguration of acute mental health inpatient beds and quoting from the recently published document ‘Closing the gap’ Members expressed the view that while centres of excellence had merit in cases affecting a person’s physical health it was suggested that nearness of acute inpatient facilities to a service user’s home was important for mental health recovery.  The Chief Clinical Officer, NHS Medway CCG expressed the view that the outcome for service users was the most significant factor.  He also stated that the CCG did not have any budget, or allocation of funds, for capital expenditure.

The Healthwatch Medway representative paid tribute to the use of experts by experience but noted that the report made no reference to the number of patients involved in the plans.

Decision: 

The report was noted and it was agreed that the information requested at the meeting, as set out above, would be supplied in the report to the April 2014 meeting.