Council and democracy

Agenda item

Services for People with Personality Disorders and Complex Needs

Minutes:

Andy Brogan, Executive Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Chief Executive, Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, updated Members on the progress made since the last report had been presented in January 2018. Members were provided with background information on the development of services for People with Personality Disorders and Complex Needs. The service such as training for staff, skills training, group interventions had been piloted successfully to test elements of the model. Members were referred to the adjustments being made in the existing service, the progress during 2019 and what the next steps entailed. Members were also referred to the summary pathway shown in Appendix 1.

 

Dr Laura Addis, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Head of Service for South West Essex Adult Community Psychology, updated Members on the implementation of the model that varied across the STP, in the South more had been undertaken due to there being more Personality Disorder Leads in place. In the South East, training plans had been developed within a number of specialist teams to understand more about personality disorders and how these would be presented, a high intensity user’s project had been rolled out. Working with Mental Health Liaison Teams to under their presentations, upskilling of Local Coordinators and formulating to understand the traumas experienced so that a detailed pathway could be put in place. Stakeholder events, focus groups and workshops had been undertaken in participation with partners. Integrated working had been commenced with IAPT providers and further training on personality disorders had been carried out.

 

Councillor Redsell questioned how the services would work if there was not a core model. Laura Addis confirmed that there was an overall model of delivery which looked at services cross the system. There would also be local variations based on need and work would be undertaken with partners in those areas.

 

Members agreed that further clarity and description was required on services being delivered.

 

Ian Wake, Director of Public Heath, welcomed the report that had reflected the work undertaken over the last 18 months.

 

Kim James, Healthwatch representative, thanked the Chair and stated how pleased that when this Healthwatch’s concern was raised and highlighted it was looked into and actioned swiftly and was glad that the project was now happening. Kim James questioned whether further training could be undertaken with voluntary groups such as Citizen Advice and on behalf of service users thanked everyone involved.

 

The Chair echoed the comments made and stated this piece of work had been a real significant development and questioned whether this training could be incorporated into workforces such as in Libraries, Hubs, Housing Team and the Police. Andy Brogan stated the plan was to train everyone the basic skills on how to cope when put in a difficult situation.

 

Mark Tebbs informed Members that training continued with the “Suicide Reduction” programme and work had been undertaken with stakeholders to increase the training links between services, such as Citizen Advice, with the training focus being on primary care and those other risk groups.

 

Roger Harris stated there were concerns around Anti-Social Behaviour particularly in the Housing Team when dealing with users and questioned whether this could be a further sub-set of this service. An important element required was to focus on those particularly hard to reach. Laura Addis stated that Anti-Social Behaviour had not been included in the pathway nevertheless this could be included.

 

Mark Tebbs referred Members to an up and running STP project, Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM) which was a model of care using specialist Police Officers within the community mental health services to help support service users struggling with complex, behavioural disorders. This model of care was in the process of being evaluated in the hope to expand and replicate in Thurrock.

 

Councillor Ralph appreciated the training programmes being undertaken and questioned had it been considered for users to carry cards and questioned whether it was the lack of psychologists that group sessions were being held instead of one-2-one sessions. Councillor Ralph questioned whether there was a tracking path when a child transitioned into an adult. Andy Brogan stated that people were treated on the best available evidence and treated as such. That sessions would be tailored to the need of people and how people presented themselves. With group sessions and one-2-one sessions being provided. Laura Addis stated that it would not be ideal to diagnose at a young age but to look at the right pathway for that person.

 

Councillor Ralph asked the number of spaces in the group therapy sessions. Laura Addis stated this was a maximum of 12 spaces.

 

Members agreed to add this item to the 2020/21 Work Programme.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed and noted the current position regarding services for people who had a personality disorder.

 

At 7.50pm, Mark Tebbs, Dr Laura Addis and Andy Brogan left the committee room.

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