Agenda item

To consider a report on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Transformation Plan.

7.1       Angela Caulder (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Joint Commissioning Manager) introduced the report and advised that the Transformation Plan had been published and submitted to NHS England. The report highlighted achievements to date and Members heard that the focus from 2017 onwards would be on integrating services.

7.2       Jackie Shaw (Director, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) then elaborated on the achievements in 2017. She began by stating that the voluntary and community sector had provided a number of creative offers, including art therapies. An out of hours crisis service had been piloted, where children would be seen by a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) professional, and 715 children had been seen to date. Consideration was being given as to how to expand the service and an additional 8 staff were to be appointed. Efforts were also being made to reduce the average length of stay when children were admitted to hospitals.  A children’s eating disorder service was being developed and had been commissioned through NHS Central London Clinical Commissioning Group. The service had a highly trained team and was performing well. Jackie Shaw also informed the Board that 94% of urgent cases were seen in under a week, one of the best performances in London.

7.3       During Members’ discussions, it was commented that there was a gap in services in between end age for CAMHS services and start age for services for adults and it was asked what steps were being taken to bridge this gap. The Chairman mentioned that the Council was working on developing services for those in transition from adolescence to young adulthood. A Member sought further details as to what the expected outcomes were from the principal objectives and how would success be monitored. Members asked if the lives of children and young people were being tracked and could comparisons be made as to where they are in 5 years’ time. The importance of measuring outcomes was also emphasised.

7.4       In reply to issues raised by Members, Jackie Shaw advised that an all ages service was being developed in respect of the eating disorder service. The Vincent Square Centre was now making plans for families and although the scheme was in infancy, it was hoped it would continue to develop. Family care in relation to eating disorders was also being looked at.

7.5       Angela Caulder advised that CAMHS was looking to develop all age services across the range of services and it also had a national learning programme. She advised that there were key performance indicators for all of the objectives to measure success and Members noted that Westminster had one of the lowest waiting times in the country. CAMHS was also working closely with the voluntary and community sector in respect of keeping well, staying well schemes.

7.6       Annabel Saunders (Bi-borough Children’s Services) advised the Board that Children’s Services had interviewed around 300 children last summer to check on their wellbeing and a range of guidance treatments were available. Positive feedback was also being received from staff and parents in respect of under 5s children’s centres.

7.7       The Chairman welcomed the achievements to date.