VCS Forum for Mental Health
10am-12pm on 10th May 2016
Draft Minutes
Present:
Alyson Scott
Lynne James
Kim Bevan
Dani Wardman
Kyla Honing
Laura Davis
John Brown
Gill Milner
Peter Hart
Helen Robinson
Alison Wheatley
Mags Hyett
Eileen Ronan
Sarah Armstrong
York Mind (Chair)
Mainstay
The Retreat
Survive
The Healing Clinic
York CVS (Minutes)
Healthwatch York
Cloverleaf Advocacy Service
YACRO
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
York Housing Association
City of York Council
Arc Light/ Changing Lives
York CVS
Guests:
Jeanette Thompson
Sharon Pickering
Angela Crossland
JuST Works
JuST Works
City of York Council
Apologies:
Melanie McQueen
Mary Hodgson
June Tranmer
Sue Williamson
Jake Furby
IDAS
Castlegate for Young People
The Healing Clinic
Tang Hall SMART CIC
York LGBT Forum
1. Welcome, introductions, apologies
Alyson welcomed everyone to the meeting and apologies were noted.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 15th March 2016 and matters arising
The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Jeanette Thompson and Sharon Pickering JuST Works –
Information and Advice Strategy
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Jeanette explained that JuST Works has been commissioned by City
of York Council to develop a strategy that will make information and
advice on health and social care work better for the people of York.
The project is currently at the data gathering stage and will encompass
information and advice beyond the council. Service users, providers
and professionals will be consulted.
Jeanette explained that she wanted to hear Forum members’ views on
what works and doesn’t work in the current system.
The following points were raised:
 There is a need to help people get the information they need.
 Existing systems need to work together better.
 The Healthwatch York Mental Health Guide is a hard copy
source of information written by a service user. People can call
Healthwatch York if they require further information.
 There is an online Mental Health Directory which covers York.
 The CAB’s Advice York Directory which is a hard copy directory
aimed at professionals.
 There is a lot of informal networking based on the detailed
knowledge and experience of staff within the sector. Whilst it
was agreed this was a positive approach which often works very
well, it was recognised that there may be issues as it is not a
formal system.
 Dependent on the workforce and clientele, Facebook can be a
useful means of communication.
 Feedback provided suggested that the workforce within the
sector is quite diverse in age, and therefore there isn’t the
expected loss to retirement of experienced, knowledgeable staff
that other sectors/services may experience. It was noted that
younger staff can deliver effective information and advice with
sufficient training.
 People require a personal contact when trying to make sense of
complex information particularly when people are under stress.
 Social prescribing project is about helping people find or access
services from providers they may even already be familiar with.
However the project provides confidence and handholding to
enable people to access this support in times of need.
 Websites and digital information can be helpful but sometimes
there is too much information.
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 It was noted that the VCS has a broad range of knowledge and
expertise on information and advice provision.
 The concept of a network of branded information points across
the city was suggested, which could link into dementia
friendly/safe spaces. These points could be existing providers
who already help to signpost people to more appropriate
providers where relevant.
 A virtual library of resources, documents and leaflets to be
accessible to professionals would be helpful. Sarah reported that
North Yorkshire are doing some similar work on this approach.
 It was noted that another directory would not be the answer, but
it would be more important to link up with existing sources of
information.
 It was noted that organisations should hold the responsibility for
making their sites/services appear in web searches or use terms
that service users would use.
 There was agreement that there is a lot of duplication of
information and too much information and choice. A limited
choice of good quality options is better.
 It was noted that social media is very important for some people
as it allows them to engage outside of the home.
 A mixed approach of communication channels is required.
 Consideration needs to be given to people who can’t read.
Jeanette offered to come back in a couple of months to say how the work
has progressed.
4. Angela Crossland City of York Council – Changes to 0-19 services
Angela introduced herself and explained she is working alongside Niall
McVicar on the development of Local Area Teams. Angela explained
the following points:
 The service will be covering from pregnancy to 19 years old (up
to 25 years for disability).
 This is the first phase of the council’s move towards a place
based approach.
 The intention is to breakdown silos and encourage more flexibility
to meet families’ needs at the early intervention stage.
 The key issues identified through process mapping the various
early intervention systems are: domestic abuse; parental and
young people’s mental health problems and parental substance
abuse.
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 It will be important to link closely with adult services to affect
changes for children.
 There are significant cost savings expected to be made with this
approach, but with a focus on a better way to achieve outcomes
for families.
 Local Area Teams will be located in the three areas of greatest
need across the city.
 The city centre youth offer will be different from the existing
Castlegate service but this is still to be formulated and the council
is open to ideas about how it should look. It will need to link
closely with the Local Area Teams.
The following points were raised:
 It was raised that the voluntary sector needs to be an integral
part of the Local Area Teams rather than an add on. Angela
explained this is something that will be looked at.
 The existing procedures for making a safeguarding referral will
remain the same. The Referral and Assessment Team should be
contacted through the Front Door arrangements as they are now
where there are any concerns for a child’s safety.
 It was raised that mental health services need to be available to
all not just those with a formal diagnosis. Voluntary sector
organisations are picking up referrals from statutory services as
they either don’t meet statutory thresholds or there isn’t capacity.
 It was noted that people often go to the VCS or other trusted
relationships in times of crisis.
 It was raised that voluntary sector organisations working with
people with mental health problems and who may also have
children, need to be able to be involved in how these services
are delivered.
Angela explained that she and Sarah have discussed holding a
CVS hosted stakeholder event which would give the opportunity
to have further in depth discussions about this work. This is
currently being planned for June.
5. Report back from the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities
Partnership Board meeting and issues to raise at next board
meeting
This was not covered.
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6. Update on the provision of early intervention services for people
with mental ill health
Sarah Armstrong gave a brief update on work she has undertaken with
the council and the CCG in general on commissioning. Sarah
explained that as part of an exercise to understand more about what is
currently commissioned and where there may be overlaps, she has
agreed with the council to look specifically at the Service Level
Agreements (SLAs) which York CVS currently holds. Sarah outlined
her discussions with the council, specifically about York CVS’s SLAs
and about what efficiencies can be made by commissioning differently
but also asking for flexibility in return. Sarah is happy to act as a point
of contact on commissioning issues for the sector.
Alyson explained that they had a different issue, in that there has been
very limited commissioning opportunities from the council and it is not
clear what their process is.
Alyson reported that further meetings about the early intervention
proposal have been cancelled by the council. The steering group has
decided to approach other funders with the proposal.
It was raised that there needs to be better mechanisms for consulting
the sector more quickly.
It was raised that some organisations are just receiving regular
extensions of contracts which leads to insecurity and staff turnover.
7. Safeguarding
This was not covered.
8. Information exchange
This was not covered.
9. Any other business
This was not covered.
10. Dates of future meetings:
10-12pm at Priory Street Centre 15 Priory Street, York YO1 6ET
12th July 2016
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13th September 2016
15th November 2016
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