Agenda item

To receive an update on the work currently taking place to support the mental health and wellbeing of Hampshire residents, including work linked to COVID-19 Recovery.

The Board received an update from the Director of Public Health on the work currently taking place to support the mental health and wellbeing of Hampshire residents, including work linked to COVID-19 Recovery.  Members heard:

There has been impact on mental health and wellbeing with long-term, disproportionate impact and increasing inequalities in some population groups.  Review of the psychological impact on mothers, Black and Asian minority groups, are continuing alongside providing support.

This was an existing County Council priority and a commitment to work on Mental health prevention work these areas through the concordat with new challenges and priorities as a result of Covid.  Work has continued with partners and a coordinated mental health plan delivered in collaboration through organizations and areas.

Communications and messaging have followed a system wide approach which is a critical element of supporting recovery with key messages, support, and guidance and high engagement on social media. Existing inequalities in children and young people have been exacerbated and work continues through existing partnerships and workstreams.  Promoting messaging and signposting to adults who have faced financial challenges, unemployment and those at risk of poor mental health. There is provision of seed funding for community organizing and champions.  Older adults have faced disproportionate loneliness, depression, and physical deconditioning and collaboration continues with colleagues to continue initiatives and ensuring access to support.  Volunteers have been skilling up and continue to signpost to services.  

Conversations have been linked up in preparation for the Mental Health Partnership Board meeting in early 2021.  Alongside gathering local intelligence, feedback from school surveys, and local priorities for a system wide effort for prevention of mental health problems and suicide, as well as early intervention at the STP level for those most at risk and needing to access services.  Joint efforts will continue across systems to support strategic partners and provide leadership across public and voluntary sectors considering service user voice and lived experiences.  Bereavement services will be coordinated with further funding to expand across the geographical footprint.  

Work continues as part of the Mental Health Concordat that was signed last year.

In response to questions, Members heard:

While the strategy is to signpost people to various services and organizations, it would lead to increased referrals and direct engagement.  People are encouraged to take personal actions to increase their mental health and any direct linking to services are self-referrals. 

A huge amount of work is being undertaken by the voluntary sector, faith communities, district, borough, and parishes, alongside statutory organizations to provide services to vulnerable people in the community.  For carers and those with learning disabilities and autism, significant pressure and stress has built up due to national restrictions.  The consequences will continue in the medium to long term in terms of mental health concerns engendered by the pandemic.  Services will need to continue and increased when they can be provided as the pandemic abates.

The pandemic has hit the deprived community harder and the roots of inequality and poverty on mental health and wellbeing are critical to identify and address.  There has been a specific strand on debt and insecurity to understand and consider what is behind mental health issues.  There is an initial pilot that will be expanded and ensuring discussion and signposting regarding financial concerns in frontline services.  This work will be brought back to the Partnership Board to work in a focused way at a strategic level.

The effects of delays in mental health service provisions and CAMHS wait list are being monitored as well as the impact on housing assessment delays with new funding expected.  3.1m in funding was recently announced for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, recognizing significant deficiency and access issues, with a commitment to core services, enhancing prevention, and investment in schools.  Autism and learning disability services remain areas of concern with additional pressures and priorities, as well as access to crisis services for young people.  Those in the most extreme crisis have been the focus in receive weeks and further funding is expected there as well.  Keeping children in school is a priority for colleagues and partners, and in Hampshire, primary and secondary attendance continues to be strong.

Pre-existing issues and inequalities highlighted by Covid have moved up the agenda and ideally, the positive impact of increased volunteering remains in the community.

Cabinet has approved economic recovery plans, but it will be important to consider the data on referrals and delays post-Covid and mitigations for managing the long-term impact. Actions and pressure to push positive changes forward continues and the Mental Health Partnership Board is a major step forward.

Following on to previous discussion about housing and physical activity, taking preventative action to collaborate and as communities for mental health and wellbeing improvements.  A survey will be circulated soon to gather insight and feedback regarding the working of the Board and the measures used to mark progress.  Differences in areas and why those discrepancies exist can be drawn from meaningful data.  

Understanding how the data translates into people’s actual mental health in order to find the baseline and measure post-Covid outcomes incrementally to establish goals and measure progress is preferable to being reactive.  Plans are in place with key performance indicators, rather than the number of people using the service.

In the restoration and recovery phase, it has been difficult for many vulnerable and hard to reach residents, including Black and Minority Ethnicities, and community champions are in place to help open those communication channels to provide help and services to address health inequalities.

The baseline data for commissioned services is being held and reviewed to inform future priorities and progress to be taken to the Mental Health Partnership Board, with an update to the Health and Wellbeing Board in 2021 on the work that is taking place.

RESOLVED: 

That the Health and Wellbeing Board--

·         Notes the ongoing work to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Hampshire residents alongside partners through the Mental Health and Wellbeing Plan. This delivers on Hampshire County Council’s pledge of commitment made through the Mental Health Prevention Concordat.