Agenda item

Presentation by the Programme Manager, Community Transformation Tees Valley

The Programme Manager, Community Transformation Tees Valley gave a presentation (previously circulated) updating Members on the work being undertaken to review the mental health system as part of the Community Transformation NHS England: Tees Valley.

The presentation outlined the core aims of the community transformation, which was being driven by the NHS England long term plan, to improve access to integrated primary and community mental health care for those with severe mental health illness; to move to an integrated, holistic, person-centred care model; and to co-produce services and care pathways with service users, carers and local communities. Members noted that this was a 3 – 5 year programme.

Members were advised of the work being undertaken in the Tees Valley which included a consultation exercise by Healthwatch which engaged with 900 people across the Tees Valley; and reference was made to the work undertaken between April and September 2021 as part of the information and mapping phase 1.

Details were provided of the model, which had been developed with patients and carers; the community hub had been identified as a key element of the model; and community care navigators would provide support, ensuring continuity of care and reintegration.

Details were also provided of the work being undertaken in Darlington, including eight resilience projects, funded non recurrently, to support COVID recovery across Darlington; these projects involved increasing capacity in counselling for those who had experienced bereavement, social connections and artistic sessions for individuals with low mood or anxiety, befriending services, female and male allotment sessions and social prescribing; a further two full time mental health nurses had been appointed as part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), to support adults aged 18 and over; and details were provided of the next steps for Darlington.

Discussion ensued regarding long Covid and the services in place for service users.

RESOLVED – That the presentation be noted.