To receive a report of the Associate Director, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership Team.

The Chairman vacated the Chair for items 45 and 46 of the agenda due to the interests declared at the start of the meeting. The Vice Chairman took the chair for the duration of items 45 and 46.

COUNCILLOR MRS P YOUNG IN THE CHAIR

The Associate Director of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership Team (AD) presented the Greater Manchester (GM) Mental Health Strategy Update report to the Committee. It was noted that the report was out of date, however the Committee were assured that information would be updated throughout the presentation.

The AD drew the Committee’s attention to the table on pages 6, 7 and 8 of the report. The table detailed the current position of the Strategic Commitments of the Greater Manchester Mental Health Strategy and the AD provided updates to the Committee where necessary. The areas that had progressed were; the crisis care dashboard was in place, the street triage business case had been completed, the suicide prevention strategy had been launched and the ADHD and eating disorder specification had been completed.

The AD explained that work was ongoing on developing a GM community mental health and crisis provision that would offer a consistent approach across GM. The team had looked across GM for examples of good practice and the work was expected to continue for another six months. The AD stated that a member of her team would bring back the results of this work to the Committee once it was completed.

The Committee were informed that the GM Mental Health Partnership Board had requested an update report on the implementation of the GM Mental Health Strategy. The report would cover the progress so far and identify key areas of work for the year ahead. The AD offered to submit the report to the Committee once it had been to the GM Mental Health Partnership and the Committee confirmed that they wanted to see the report.

Committee Members posed a number of questions covering the level of user and carer engagement, parity of esteem of mental and physical health problems, details of street triage, ADHD and eating disorders services, and financial benefits. The Associate Director gave comprehensive responses to the questions in these areas and Committee members were satisfied with the answers provided.

One member asked how the strategy would enable practitioners to engage better with mental health patients. The AD responded that she was unable to answer this question; however the question was noted and would be presented to the GM Mental Health Partnership Board for a response.

The Chairman thanked the AD for attending the meeting and answering the Committees questions.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the AD be thanked for attending the meeting.

2)    That the question relating to engagement with mental health patients be passed onto the GM Mental Health Partnership Board for a response.

3)    That the work being conducted around GM community mental health and crisis provision to come to the Committee in six months’ time.

4)    That the first year update report be submitted to the Committee once it has been to the GM Mental Health Partnership Board.