Agenda item

The report sets out the response from Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust and NHS Medway CCG 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 Executive, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) stated that she did not need to introduce the report but was happy to respond to any questions.  She apologised that revised data had just been circulated prior to the meeting.

Responding to specific questions raised during debate, she and the Director of Transformation and Commercial Development made the following points:

• Younger adults related to patients aged 18-65 years although the upper limit was often flexible to take account of patients who were over 65 but physically healthy
• No explanation could be given as to the high peak of demand took place during last summer although this had happened nationally
• One reason why the level of demand for acute beds had flattened since could be because of the success of the additional community services put in place including that of the Personality Disorder unit in Gillingham.  This had also impacted on reducing admissions to A&E of patients with mental illness
• The street triage pilot was continuing as funding had been sourced to continue with it in conjunction with NHS Medway CCG and Kent Police. This scheme was proving very successful and had brought about a reduction in section 136 detentions.  A training video had been produced to assist Police Constables to understand the most appropriate response in cases involving mental health issues and the scheme was being considered for roll out nationally
• It was agreed that data demonstrating the impact of the different workstreams and the benefits/outcomes being achieved and forecast from the reconfiguration on the need for acute beds should be shared with the Committee with an accompanying explanatory summary
• Clarification would be provided about the number of serious incidents relating to acute mental ill health across Kent and Medway rather than just those relating to ‘A’ block
• Clarification would also be provided about the figure of £34,320 on page 44 to confirm this was the cost of young adults in Kent being placed out of area
• The increase to 174 beds would take place gradually but all should be in place by Spring 2015
• It was agreed that contact would be made with Healthwatch Medway to explain how service users and carers views are taken into account in the reconfiguration plans and to update on how KMPT would be involved in the ‘Sign up to Safety’ campaign which had just been launched by NHS England

The Vice-Chairman paid tribute to KMPT’s work in Park Avenue in relation to the Personality Disorder Unit and other Members congratulated the Trust on the success of the Street Triage scheme.

Members made the point about the historically low investment in mental health, adolescent mental health in particular, which meant that many young people were reaching adulthood without having had the benefit of receiving treatment at an earlier stage.  This meant that by the time they reached early adulthood they were often in need of acute care.

During discussion it was agreed that discussion should take place between the Senior Public Health Intelligence Manager and the Director of Transformation and Commercial Development, KMPT to determine the most appropriate format for future reporting on acute beds to ensure that the Committee can consistently monitor progress with the reconfiguration plans.

Decision: 

The Committee agreed that:

(a)   a further report should be brought to the next meeting to update the Committee on progress taking into account the comments made above;

(b)   discussion should take place between the Senior Public Health Intelligence Manager and the Director of Transformation and Commercial Development about the most appropriate format for reporting data back to the Committee to ensure a consistent method for monitoring progress