Agenda item

This report sets out the update from West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group in relation to acute mental health inpatient beds. 

Discussion:

The Chief Officer, West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group and the Interim Director of Operations from Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) introduced the report and handed round an updated sheet relating to location of patients in inpatient beds in Kent and Medway over the past week.  It was stated that one patient had been placed out of area.

Members expressed their disappointment that the information asked for at the previous meeting had not been forthcoming in spite of a number of requests. 

Members stressed the importance of raising awareness of mental health issues and the Director of Public Health advised that her directorate provided Mental Health First Aid Training which had a good uptake from front line staff across the public and voluntary sector.  Members suggested that this could be promoted more widely and also commended the A Better Medway Champions Programme.  

Members explained that what they require for the next meeting is recent daily bed usage and availability across Kent and Medway in order that the Committee can assess the capacity in the system.  They also requested details of people from Kent and Medway, during that period, being placed outside of area, with details of where they are placed and the actual costs involved.  The Interim Director of Operations suggested that the out of area details should be split into those sent outside of the area in order to access very specialist services and those being sent out of area because of a lack of inpatient beds.

Concern was then expressed at the statement contained on page 27 of the agenda, which implied that the Trust would not be accepting any ongoing continued liability to provide financial assistance to those people being placed more than 14.5 miles from their home.  Members felt that an undertaking had been given by KMPT, as part of the consultation on acute beds, to assist with transport and requested that should the policy be changed the Committee requested that they be kept informed. 

In relation to the street triage pilot scheme, which had now come to an end, the Chief Officer, West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group responded to a query as to what would now happen with regards to the scheme.  He stated that he would request the Chief Clinical Officer of NHS Medway Clinical Commissioning Group who would be responsible for the commissioning of such a service and request a briefing note for the Committee.  Members spoke in support of the usefulness of having a mental health nurse from KMPT at the Police control room as a result of the street triage scheme.

KMPT were thanked for the work they had commenced at Park Avenue in Gillingham, for the Trust’s engagement with local councillors, residents and patients in their plans and for the helpfulness of staff working there. 

The Healthwatch Medway representative stated that it might be helpful if a further column is added in future to the update table to set out the public and patient involvement which has taken place.

The Chief Officer, West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group explained that the responsibility for commissioning adult mental health referred to NHS Medway CCG from 1 April 2014.  On that basis the Chief Clinical Officer, NHS Medway CCG with KMPT, would bring the next, and subsequent updates.

Decision:

Members noted the report and requested that the next report for the June meeting should contain all the information requested as set out in the discussion above.