Agenda item

Report to follow

The Associate Director, Specialised, Secure and CAMHS, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership, introduced the report.

·         There was a discussion around ethnicity data, and how representative referrals were of Bristol’s communities; Members were concerned that proportionally less Black Asian Minority Ethnic children and adolescents had accessed services, and that 630 referrals were from white applicants, and the combined number from Black Asian Minority Ethnic groups was 119.

·         The Committee was told that it was recognised that the referral route for young people had not been representative of the diverse communities, and that there was ongoing work and initiatives, which included a Quality Improvement Project, to improve equitable access for all and also to ensure staff were representative of the communities.  There had been partnership working, which included work with the Barton Hill Settlement, to improve equitable access.

·         There was a further discussion about access to services and referrals and it was agreed there was need for more clarity regarding the relationship between Bristol’s demographics and access/referrals. 

·         Members were advised that, in terms of Black Asian Minority Ethnic representation in recruitment, the organisation had improvements to make, which included positive action to enable Black Asian Minority Ethnic communities in senior leadership roles, and other initiatives which ensured better representation.

·         Members noted that North and South areas had more referrals than the Central & East area and were advised that there were no concerns about a lower ability to access services than in the other two areas, that there were more third sector and community pathways in Central & East before the need to access CAMHS.

·         Members asked whether building works at the Riverside Unit would prevent access to services and were told that 10 (of the 12 capacity) patients would receive services whilst the works were ongoing, and that there would be close partnership work that would ensure anyone who needed services would receive appropriate services, and that all young people who were not eligible would be monitored by professionals at Tier 3 which included crisis and outreach services.

·         It was confirmed that the building works would enable an increased capacity of 16 (12 inpatients and 4 days patients).

·         The Committee was advised that there was a national challenge to meet the need for eating disorders; and that there had been a sustained increase in referrals for young people with eating disorders.

·         It was recognised that the service required a more sophisticated system to record characteristics, which included Transgender, but that all young people were assessed based on need and the assessment recognised that an individual who identified as Transgender had increased risk of higher need.

·         The Chair commended the approach taken in South Bristol, that he observed that there was a positive outreach service and young people were encouraged to talk.

·         The was a discussion about access to information and Members were advised that CAMHS, as part of the community health partnership, had a single website which was subject to ongoing improvement, which included the introduction of an ability to self-refer; and that there was investment to enable development.  The Committee heard that the website had successfully signposted young people (see https://cchp.nhs.uk), but there was a recognition of the need of further improvement.

·         The Chair asked how success was measured and Members were advised that patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) were used, which assess the quality of care from the service users perspective, that young people’s experience was the most important aspect to measure success and that CAMHS had worked with Barnardo’s who had assisted in enabling young people’s voices.

·         There was a further discussion about the workforce and the Committee was informed that there was significant planned expenditure to support staff, and that there was a national challenge in terms of the health of the workforce.

·         The Committee was informed that mental health support teams focused on both primary and secondary schools, are now in place. The first wave of 3 teams would cover schools in South Bristol, East Central Bristol and South Gloucestershire (see https://www.otrbristol.org.uk/what-we-do/mhst/) with a further seven across BNSSG by 2024.

·         The Chair commended the report and presentation and thanked the officers involved and all who provided mental health support to Bristol’s young people.

RESOLVED;

That;

• Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership be invited to bring an update to the Committee on its initiatives to improve access to child & adolescent mental health services by Bristol’s Black Asian Minority Ethnic communities and ensure a workforce better representative of Bristol’s diverse communities.

• The report be noted.