Meeting documents

To receive the reports and presentation.

The Somerset Health and Wellbeing Board considered and commented on the information and the presentation.

The Deputy Director of Commissioning-Mental Health, Autism, and Learning Disabilities of Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, Andrew Keefe, presented a report on "Somerset’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing", which follows his report at the last Board meeting regarding Adult Mental Health.  The report focuses on the last two years and specifically on where they were, were they are now, and where they hope to be in the future.  It examines how they have responded as a system while placing children and their families at the centre of all they do.  He was assisted on the report, and joined during the presentation, by the Commissioning Manager for Children and Young People’s Mental Health-Somerset CCG, the Deputy Director of Children’s Services and Social Care-SCC, the Head of CAMHS-Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, the Assistant Director of Children’s Commissioning-SCC, and the Chief Executive of Young Somerset/Somerset Big Tent Programme Lead.

Where they were:  The NHS Long-Term Plan made a commitment that funding for Children and Young People’s (CYP’s) mental health services will grow faster, although challenges remain in Somerset due to financial pressures and increasing demands on CAMHS, social care, acute hospitals, and schools.  As far as the impact of the pandemic, Somerset’s statutory and VCSE providers continued to operate throughout; there was an increase in stress and anxiety amongst service users, and an increase in online bullying, but there was no uniform reaction, as some families had positive experiences with spending more time together in the home, while others had detrimental situations.  The system’s response to the pandemic included extending the hours of Somerset Mindline to 24/7, offering online and virtual appointments where appropriate, and increased joint working between SCCG, SCC, SFT and VCSE sector, which has now become the preferred way of working going forward.  Investment into CYPMH services has also increased year on year since 2018/19 and is now exceeding the 1% standard for investment set out by the Children’s Commissioner.  This will continue to increase until the end of 2023/24, with focus areas being eating disorders, crisis, and expansion of support teams.

Where they are:  The Board watched a video called "My Pandemic Story" discussing the challenges for young people living in Somerset; the progress that has been made was then discussed, including Somerset Big Tent, mental health support teams in schools, the CAMHS 2+ team, and the Jigsaw Project.  Rather than thinking of single services, there has been a move to system solutions involving the recruitment and retention of skilled clinicians and practitioners to confront the expected increase in demand for emotional wellbeing services and CYP development, education and employment which have been impacted by the pandemic. Another challenge specific to Somerset is a shortage of suitable intensive support for CYP with complex needs; a number of them have had to be admitted to paediatric wards or placed in distant, high-cost facilities.  In response, SCC has made a significant investment for the most vulnerable, including Homes2inspire which will deliver children’s homes, high-need fostering, and therapeutic education while aligning with CAMHS crisis provision.  Further, Somerset CCG are working with providers across health, social care, education, youth justice and the VCSE sector to develop a local transformation plan for CYP mental health, as well as working directly with CYP and their families. This plan will set out how resources will be invested to improve CYP mental health across Somerset, and it is expected to be published by the end of 2021.

The Board thanked each presenter for the report and noted the important work being done.

The Somerset Health and Wellbeing Board received and noted the presentation.