An update from Brian Cranna, Care Group Director of Operations & Transformation, Tees, Esk And Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust & Kirsty Kitching,Assistant Director for the North Yorkshire Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Partnership, Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership on Acute Mental Health services across the County.
Minutes:
The Chair invited Wendy Shortman to ask her question at this point.
We are one of 14 properties which share a boundary with a hospital providing mental health services in Harrogate. It is neither private nor fully NHS run, and as such appears to fall between the gaps.
· We have lived here for 21 years but over the past 3 years in particular we have witnessed a significant increase in the number of seriously distressed and disturbed patients at the hospital whose well-being has concerned us sufficiently for us to not only alert the hospital as to our worries, but also CQC. Our concerns include patients regularly shouting and screaming and in obvious distress over long periods of time, and also the effect this must also have on the other patients being treated there. Also, some patients are secure but others are able to freely leave the hospital and there have been two escapes in the past 5 months, both which required police involvement. How can this be deemed a safe environment for the people needing this kind of medical help?
· I also question why facilities in North Yorkshire are not used for residents of North Yorkshire? Surely patients should be placed locally wherever possible?
· I would also propose that there should be better liaison between mental health hospitals and local services to ensure that the requirements of both the patients and the community are met.
A response was provided from Brian Cranna, Director of Operations and Transformation, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, North Yorkshire, York and Selby Care Group and Kirsty Kitching, Assistant Director for the North Yorkshire Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Partnership as follows:
There has been a huge change in mental health provision over the last three years and where possible patients are not placed out of the area and patients will stay with TEWV and the NHS. No North Yorkshire patients are placed under the care of Cygnet Hospital in Harrogate.
Occasionally the trust may need to place patients out of the area, this is only utilised when needed short term to protect patient safety but if utilised is only for a matter of days and as an emergency provision only. Other trusts do place patients out of their area, using specific hospitals such as Cygnet as an overflow, but TEWV & NY&HICB do not.
Considered – A presentation from Brian Cranna & Kirsty Kitching on Mental Health Inpatient Service Provision in North Yorkshire.
Brian and Kirsty updated the Committee on the provision of mental health care and covered the following points:
· Partnership working
· The importance of treating people and keeping them a home where possible
· The vision and priorities for mental health care and how this would be achieved
· Increase in demand especially for young people and children
· Funding arrangements
· Lack of investment
· Key pressure areas
· CQC inspection outcome
· Dementia diagnosis and memory assessment services
· Crisis response
Bed occupancy is near to 100% with length of stay on average being 24 days. Transfer of care remains a challenge due to finding placements that can accommodate some patient’s needs.
There then followed a discussion around the following points;
Where do patients go if occupancy is at 100%?
Home based support is utilised, then possibly an independent sector provider but then repatriated at the earliest opportunity.
Is there an adult self help route for autism?
There is an online platform for autism since November 2022 to screen and prioritise and provide support whilst waiting for treatment. This is a digital option in NY and York only and it is accepted that it is not a good option for all.
Is there still an issue with ADHD medication provision?
This is national problem and Brian would provide more detail on this at a later date.
Resolved – The Chair thanked Brian and Kirsty for the update and suggested they return to a future committee with a further update and asked if further details could be forwarded to the Committee on the issue in obtaining ADHD medication. .