To receive a presentation from officers of North East London NHS Foundation Trust on mental health issues and services in this sector.
Minutes:
The NELFT representatives explained that access to hospital mental health in-patient services was normally via the NELFT home treatment teams. The establishment of teams had led to a reduction in the number of admissions to hospital. With effect from May 2014, NELFT would also be responsible for adult duty emergency services. There was a rising demand for referral into mental health services.
Mental health assessment opening hours were being extended in Waltham Forest and it was hoped do the same in the other NELFT boroughs. Psychiatric liaison services were accessible from the three local acute hospitals and it was aimed to direct mental health service users away from A&E.
Outpatient clinics were no longer used but community multi-disciplinary teams were used to offer short-term interventions. For older adults, the memory service was in place across the four boroughs. There were also strong links with the Alzheimer’s Society and other groups. Work was also in progress with Admiral Nurses in three boroughs and with the third sector with initiatives such as the Alzheimer’s Café.
It was explained that the work of the home treatment teams had led to only needing a low bed base in acute wards. There were two female 20-bed wards and three male 20-beds wards as well as a psychiatric intensive care unit. Female intensive care beds were spot purchased as required. Two complex recovery wards covered the four boroughs. Specialist in-patient services included Moore ward comprising 12 beds for patients with learning disabilities and Brookside – a tier 4 in-patient unit for young people. There remained two female and two male wards for older people.
Emergency mental health admissions via the police were conducted under section 136. There were two suites for this at Sunflowers Court where staff were available to carry out assessments. Once assessments were completed, patients would be moved to wards.
It was the case that there was no statutory requirement under some forms of section for patients to continue to be supervised after their release. There would however normally be some monitoring of these cases by the community recovery teams. The key was to ensure monitoring and stabilising of people in the community.
In-patient detox services were no longer commissioned but each borough had its own substance misuse services. It was confirmed that some psychological services continued to operate at Thorpe Coombe in Waltham Forest. The NELFT officers would supply further information concerning continuing care for older people in Waltham Forest.
The IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) team was a primary care service. The team operated by phone or face to face but contacts were mainly by phone and allowed specialised cognitive behavioural therapy for depression or anxiety. The service was accessed by self-referral although information could also be given a person’s GP. Details on accessing the service were also available on the NELFT website.
Budgetary information was given in the NELFT annual report and the Trust was required by Monitor to retain a certain level of reserves.
The Committee noted the presentation.