We are here to support, promote and develop voluntary and community action in Middlesbrough

Mental Health Partnership

This Partnership works collectively to deliver positive local outcomes and the development and delivery of policy, strategy and services in line with the six objectives outlined in the national strategy for mental health: No Health without Mental Health (Dept. Health 2011).  It has a membership of Middlesbrough Council, South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, local VCOs and users/carers.  Further details are included in our Partnership Agreement. 

For more information about the Mental Health Partnership, contact Craig Duerden at MVDA. 

Summary of previous meetings (most recent first):

 

  • 23 January 2020 – At this meeting there was a focus on ‘Matters Arising’ and the role of the Partnership. There was a challenge to the statutory sector in particular as decision makers to involve and use the Partnership. There was a presentation on the Right Place Right Care project and an update from Healthwatch South Tees on their young people’s mental health survey. TEWV also gave an update on the Durham & Tees Integrated Care Partnership/Mental Health & Learning Disability Partnership and Public Health publicised the Boro Man Can project.

 

  • 28 November 2019 – This meeting received presentations on the development of Primary Care Networks and the Mental Health Long-Term Plan, updates on Social Prescribing and NHS Complaints Data and the IAPT commissioning situation.

 

  • 26 September 2019 – The Partnership received an update from TEWV on the Integrated Care Partnerships/Mental Health & Learning Disability Partnership. Healthwatch South Tees spoke about their Mental Health Report and survey on young people’s mental health and a report was presented by MVDA about the VCS’s involvement in service provision, priority setting and strategic decision making and the lack of involvement. Discussion also took place on the potential for small grants and user voice representation.

 

  • 28 March 2019 – Discussion took place regarding the NHS Long Term Plan and the implications on Mental Health Services. This was informed by the manager who has responsibility from TEWV and also Healthwatch South Tees who had been asked to undertake a survey.  The TEWV manager also led on a discussion about the Mental Health and Learning Disability Partnership – formally the Accountable Care Partnership (ACP). The South Tees CCG also gave a presentation on the South Tees CCG Plan – Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS) and a discussion followed.
  • 24 January 2019 – Discussion took place on the new NHS Plan, review of IAPT services and also the work of the Independent Complaints Advisory Service.
  • 22 November 2018  - This meeting focussed on an update from The Junction Young Carers project on the work they had undertaken with the Mental Health Small Grant and work being undertaken by Public Health on mental health within BAME groups
  • 27 September 2018 – A presentation was given on the Teeswide Suicide Prevention Taskforce work and on Step Forward Tees Valley who are providing physical activity support to those with mental ill-health.   Opportunity was given for organisations to update each other on their services and network wherever appropriate.
  • 26 July 2018 – This meeting had an update from the BME Network who had received a small mental health grant and are using the money to help members of the BME community with education and training.  Ideas on future workshops of the Partnership were also discussed including what should take over from the commissioned Advocacy Service which ends in April 2019, Mental health framework ends August 2019, user and the carer voice and complaints. A presentation was given from the Independent Complaints and Advisory service (ICA). In the past couple of years, the average number of complaints has risen by 20%. The number of complaints regarding complex issues have snowballed and need to be dealt with positively and learning taken from any negative issues.   It was suggested that a working group with ICA, Healthwatch and GP practice managers to take place in the next few months.  Healthwatch South Tees updated the Partnership and stressed that the service users voice needs to be heard.  Also aware of case studies regarding service users with severe mental illnesses who were not finding the help they need and have contemplated suicide. Agreed to consider a workshop on this. A presentation was also given on a piece of work M&S MIND are doing to help understand people's experiences of having a mental health problem while coping with cancer. Finally the independent review of the Mental Health Act was discussed and it was agreed to set up a Task and Finish Group to develop a response.
  • Mental Health Partnership May 2018 – At this meeting Breckon Hill Community Centre fedback on how they had spent the small grant given through the Partnership. A mindfulness course - The Second Change Programme is provided to the community which helps individuals and families live more satisfying and fulfilling lives.  A representative from TEWV updated the Partnership on the Accountable Care Partnership (ACP). The ACP will work together to plan, buy and delivery high quality, best value health services for those living with learning disability/mental health needs. It was agreed to continue to have updates on this important development. A detailed presentation was given on Talent Match Middlesbrough which was set up to target young people aged 18-24 years old who are furthest from the jobs market. This has been running for 5 years and is coming to an end in December and work on its legacy is currently be done. Young people with mental health and other disabilities (which are often hidden) are the main users of this service and a discussion was had on how this legacy can influence existing services.
  • Mental Health Partnership March 2018 – Senior commissioning support officers from South Tees CCG attended the Partnership to deliver a presentation on the IAPT Service Pathway proposal and to obtain feedback. Discussion also took place on the Mental Health Partnership Agreement to ascertain if the group was still fulfilling its objectives. A suggestion was that a template showing all services that feed into Mental Health provision should be designed which would identify potential gaps - this could then be presented to the Health & Wellbeing Board. Healthwatch South Tees raised the issues that STAMP Revisited are not taking on any more referrals and that Voices for Choices is not currently operating. Healthwatch was tasked to ensure servicer user information is not lost. An update from the NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy service was given at this meeting and finally an overview of the work plan of the MS Society was given along with the role of the regional co-ordinator and what she hoped to achieve by attending the Partnership.
  • 25 January 2017 – The main discussion items at this meeting was a discussion with a NECs officer (John Stamp) on the proposed Accountable Care Partnership, the use of Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA) and Dementia Services. Accountable Care Partnerships (ACPs) are receiving national press coverage and a lively discussion flowed about the implications of this for learning disabilities services and mental health services. Various concerns were expressed particularly around TEWV potentially acting as a commissioner of mental health services, the non-involvement of the VCS at any level in the development of the proposal and the place of VCS service providers. It was agreed that ACPs would be on future agendas of the Partnership. ICA presented about what they do and how they support people to complain about NHS services. This is a local authority commissioned service and currently jointly commissioned by 9 local authorities in the North East region (Gateshead Council is the lead). It was agreed that ICA would return to the next meeting to further explore how their collection of information could influence service provision in Middlesbrough. The update on dementia services focussed upon health service provision of assessment and signposting to services.
  • 23 November 2017 – This meeting received a detailed report outlining the decisions of the Mental Health Small Grants Panel and the successful applications. This process had been a success and it was hoped this could be replicated next year. A presentation was given on the Partnerships objectives and action plan which generated discussion on the way forward for this group. It was agreed that the Partnership needs to be effective with clear links to the Strategic Planning mechanisms in Middlesbrough and involve service users more. A discussion took place on the Tees Mental Health Training Hub and then Middlesbrough CAB gave a verbal presentation on advocacy and mental health services they provide.   The Partnership Co-ordinator’s report highlighted Personal Health Budgets and the prevention concordat for Better Mental Health.   Finally TEWV gave information on work they are planning with the South Asian Community and the new Teeswide Suicide Prevention Co-ordinator gave an overview of their work.
  • 28 September 2017 – The meeting received an update on the Mental Health Small Grants Budget which had six bids to be considered by the Panel.   A closing date of two weeks was agreed with the Panel meeting at end of October. An update was also given on the Partnership’s objectives and action plan and it was agreed that a presentation would be given at the next meeting. An in-depth presentation was given on Children’s Mental Health Services in Middlesbrough by TEWV. This was an opportunity for members of the Partnership to ask questions and it was agreed that TEWV would report back to a future meeting. Voices for Choices presented a review of their services and they informed the Partnership of their work to cement their governance and on-going work to support users and carers. A final presentation was given by the MacMillan Mental Health Cancer Care which outlined their work interviewing people with cancer and mental health conditions and an interim report is being prepared for December 2018.
  • July 2017: This meeting received an overview of the Mental Health Small Grants Fund, which is an overall budget of £28,000 on a non-recurring basis. It was reported that to date only one application has been submitted and the scheme may therefore need to be re-promoted. There is still work to be done to further expand the Partnership’s action plan and develop the work groups. It was agreed to get the priorities together for the next meeting in September so they can be discussed in more depth. A presentation was given at this meeting on the South Tees IAPT service.  The current contract is due for renewal in June 2018 and it is hoped that uptake of the service will increase from 15% to 25% in the future. The re-commissioning of the service will continue to be an agenda item. There was also a presentation on the North Ormesby Public Health targeted work. The aim of the project is to attract people to live in North Ormesby with the public health plans feeding into the Councils plans for improvement. There are five identified priorities: healthy eating, changing attitudes, family based support, men’s health and physical activity. Mental health has also be identified as a separate priority. The mental health plan will be brought to the next meeting. Finally the Partnership Co-ordinators report outlined current information on the Better Health Programme, Personal Health Budgets, the new DoH Quality Care Matters programme and Middlesbrough’s JSNA revision.
  • May 2017: This meeting discussed the governance arrangements of a small grant to fund projects or activities which will support the Mental Health priorities in Middlesbrough. The meeting then went on to discuss the Partnerships objectives and how the budget could be linked to them. Some guidance is required for potential grant applications and the consensus was that the high level targets are to be kept and the Partnership will monitor these. A set of indicators which feed into these targets about independence and wellbeing will be developed which the Partnership can deliver on with support of the small grants budget. The DWP representative updated the Partnership on the role of Disability Employment Advisors (DEA's) which is to support job centre customers into appropriate sustainable work. Also appointed is a Community Health Partner who will attend this Partnership. This role is across the locality and is to work with key Health Partners to improve DWP’s support. The Partnership's forward plan was then agreed for the forthcoming meetings.
  • March 2017: The Partnership considered its strategic objectives at this meeting and agreed to have the Mental Health 5 Year Forward View as its basis for action and to agree performance indicators which match this national policy locally as well as incorporating local social care and older persons indicators. This meeting also discussed crisis care with an update from South Tees CCG, considered Personal Health Budgets in mental health services, links to the Tees Suicide Prevention Task Force and what the Partnerships role could be in Mental Health Week (8 – 14 May).
  • January 2017: The main focus at this meeting was to consider the Government’s recent Green Paper – Work, Health and Disability – improving lives. Partners had been asked to consider implications for their work and to contribute to an official response by the Mental Health Partnership to the Green Paper. A number of invaluable contributions were made on behalf of service users and carers and also from the DWP. The meeting also looked at future meetings and what needed to be put onto the agenda and also heard updates from partner organisations on their current priorities.
  • November 2016: This meeting considered changes to the Partnerships’ governance of its task and finish groups which is part of a review of the working of the Partnership. A presentation was made on local Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs), and an update was given on IAAPT (talking therapies). There was also a presentation on MVDA's Looking Ahead project which was well received. The Partnership also agreed to consider the Green Paper – Work, Health and Disability – improving lives, at its next meeting and to prepare a formal response back to the DWP.
  • September 2016: We reviewed the progress of the four Task and Finish Groups at this meeting and agreed that formalisation of governance and reporting back to the wider Partnership should be undertaken. The Action Plan 2016/17 should also be reviewed at future meetings. The Partnership received an update by TEWV NHS Foundation Trust on Crisis Care funding and a presentation on the Middlesbrough substance misuse service. It was also agreed that all future meetings should take place in the St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2RW.
  • July 2016: At this meeting we focussed on carers and considered the Mental Health Carers Service provided by Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind and were also updated on the newly established Carers Strategic Partnership. A presentation was also given on a dementia end of life staff training tool and it was agreed this tool should be promoted to appropriate organisations and services.  Feedback was given from the Public Health Delivery Partnership and the Task & Finish Groups (TFGs) updated on their work.
  • June 2016: This meeting focussed on Crisis Care and also considered the link between physical and mental health with presentations on Tackling Cancer Together in Middlesbrough and the Ageing Better Middlesbrough Programme. Updates were also given from the Task and Finish groups with a discussion on promoting service user and carer involvement.
  • April 2016: We concentrated on the actual work of the Partnership at this meeting with the Action Plan for 2016-17 being discussed and the work of the Task and Finish Groups (TFGs) being scrutinised and agreed. The Commissioning TFG outlined their work to update the Middlesbrough Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.