To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Roger Brown (Bury MBC) and Councillor Dan Costello (Tameside MBC).

Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests relating to items on this agenda and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider the Minutes of the Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care (Mental Health) Trust meeting held on Tuesday 17 October 2023.

Resolved:
That the Minutes of the Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care (Mental Health) Trust meeting held on 17 October 2023 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a presentation from the Chief Operating Officer, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.

The Chair welcomed attendees to the meeting and invited Dr Simon Sandhu, Medical Director (Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust) to introduce the presentation.

The Medical Director firstly commented that Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust served a population of 1.3 million; providing mental health, learning disability and autism services to people across Greater Manchester while recognising the impact of the pandemic and the changes within the health and social care system.

More than 3,800 staff delivered care from 88 locations across the six Greater Manchester boroughs. However, since the pandemic there had been a significant reduction in staffing levels alongside increased pressures to deliver work.

The vision of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust was for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in the Greater Manchester communities.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

It was reported by the Medical Director that the CAMHS programme aimed to expand mental health services for children and young people whilst achieving the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan.

Aims and objectives for CAMHS in the NHS Long Term Plan included:

·         Expanding access to community-based mental health services to meet the needs of more children and young people;

·         New approach to young adult mental health services for people aged 18-25 to support the transition to adulthood;

·         Mental health support for children and young people would be embedded in schools and colleges;

·         Tackling the causes of morbidity and preventable deaths in people with a learning disability and for autistic people;

·         Improving NHS understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism, and working together to improve their health and wellbeing;

·         Enabling more people to receive personalised care in the community and reducing preventable admissions to inpatient services;

·         Expanding timely, age-appropriate crisis services to improve the experience of children and young people, and reducing A&E and paediatric wards pressures.

To achieve the aims and objectives it was highlighted that some NHS services required transformation - such as merging multiple teams into one to share learning and cover wider areas - that new programmes must be introduced, or that existing programmes required progression.

The Medical Director informed that there had been a significant increase in CAMHS referrals which had resulted in extended waiting times, with 82% of young people on the waiting list currently pending a neurodevelopment assessment or intervention. This had been further impacted following the decommissioning of neurodevelopment services in the North East.

Young people and children awaiting diagnosis would be signposted to local support and were provided with the contact details of CAMHS practitioners. In accordance with the triage process, young people that displayed the most challenging behaviours or symptoms would be prioritised on the waiting list.

In response to concerns that were raised by Members in relation to the waiting list statistics, it was noted by the Medical Director that the cause of increased CAMHS referrals could be due to increased awareness of diagnoses such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism, as well as earlier intervention being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

The Chair noted that it was agreed at the previous meeting of the Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care (Mental Health) Trust that a Children and Young People Mental Health Services themed conference be arranged. The conference would be hosted at Number One Riverside, Rochdale and would aim to look at ways of addressing problems within CAMHS. Relevant representatives of the five local authorities would be invited to attend, as well as representatives of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.

As the conference could not be arranged for January 2024, the Chair requested that it be revived again for the next Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care (Mental Health) Trust meeting on 13 March 2024.

Resolved:
That on behalf of the Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care (Mental Health) Trust, the Chair be requested to arrange a Children and Young People Mental Health Services themed conference for March 2024.