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WQ.58/2020
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND HOUSING
BY DEPUTY K.G. PAMPLIN OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2020
Question
Will the Minister advise members what improvements have been made to the delivery of services by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (C.A.M.H.S.) since the completion of the Scrutiny Review of mental health services by the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, particularly any improvements arising as a result of the Target Operating Model and the transfer from the Department of Health and Community Services to the Department of Children, Young People, Education and Skills?
Answer
CAMHS transferred from the Health and Community Services Department to the Children's, Young People Education and Skills Department in June 2019.
CAMHS is in the process of a service redesign which includes wellbeing and mental health services across the whole system in addition to specialist CAMHS. The redesign sets out to improve pathways for children and young people, a partnership system that closes gaps and avoids duplication, improved assessment and treatment pathways, quality and range. The design will consider the workforce skill mix, development, knowledge and qualification. The redesign work is engaging the range of stakeholders including children, young people and families and a three day (3X1 day) workshop is scheduled in March/April with the new service specification subsequently being developed with resource implications identified.
The redesign is taking place in the context and taking account of the work and subsequent report produced by the Scrutiny Panel in 2018 along with international best practice.
The most important area that has been progressed is to have an experienced team manager in place after a period of contingency arrangements. The current manager is in the service on a secondment from a partnership trust in the United Kingdom where the CAMHS service was recently evaluated as outstanding. The officer brings a wealth of experience and knowledge and has prioritised staff supervision and management, along with updating and improving procedures and processes impacting on service delivery.
In advance of the service re-design conclusion improvement have been taking place in the areas of oversight and governance, operational practice and service delivery
Oversight and Governance
• Both departments have developed and jointly agreed a Memorandum of Understanding setting out responsibilities and accountability for clinical, professional and operations.
• There is a monthly Joint Clinical Oversight Group in place meeting chaired by a director to ensure oversight and challenge on a number of clinical areas such as risk assessment and management, workforce and quality of service.
• The service links to Health and Community Services Departments Women, Children and Families Care Group under the leadership pf the Associate Medical Director
• In the CYPES Target Operating Model the CAMHS service is line managed by a Head of Service Health and Wellbeing who will work closely with colleagues in the Health and Community Department particularly the Associate Medical Director and the Lead Allied Health Professional.
Operational Practice and Service Delivery Improvements include:
• Review and completion of policies and clear operational procedures
• Introducing Outcome Measures to each clinical caseload, ensuring quality of intervention and review points for all service users
• Using national evidence based practice for interventions to increase contacts and improve access to service
• Changing team meeting systems to create learning opportunities and case formulation
• Improving contact and work with other agencies- creating opportunities for improving relationships with CAMHS stakeholders and referrers (Children's Services, Emergency Department, Paediatrics) as well as transformation work such as the interface with the Early Help design and implementation.
• Using service user and parent forums and feedback to learn about service improvement, and share compliments to build on excellent practice
• Collating and analysing data to inform redesign and in the short term to improve waiting list, response times and care coordination role