Supporting people with mental health needs
The majority of people experiencing mental health issues will not necessarily need specialist support but may need more than can be offered by their GP. People can access a number of different types of support, such as through Pathfinder West Sussex, and they can visit our West Sussex Connect to Support website for information and advice.
Our new service model
In 2020 we began a significant programme of improvement to create a new service model which has encouraged innovation and excellence in practice. This has resulted in a strong partnership approach and an increase in assessments.
As part of this approach, our mental health discharge hub developed with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, has been supporting people who have social care needs to be discharged from hospital.
There has been a council-led joint international recruitment campaign to fill 40 vacancies across mental health teams in the council and the Trust and the staff who have joined us from across the world have continued to develop their skills and expertise and have taken on new roles within both organisations.
Working-age mental health services
We have three mental health teams that work with adults aged 18-65 years. Our teams work alongside colleagues from NHS mental health services and with professionals in housing and employment, to help identify and respond to the needs of people at an early stage wherever possible. This helps improve people’s mental health outcomes and also to reduce the risk of crisis and more costly demands on acute health services.
Our staff focus on people’s strengths to prevent and reduce a deterioration in their health and wellbeing and they work collaboratively with their family and wider social networks of support. They focus on supporting people to make decisions for themselves and work with them to sort out practical, health and legal issues. They fulfil a vital role in protecting the rights of people when they are in crisis or where a situation has deteriorated to such an extent that they may need help to keep themselves safe.
We also support young people who are starting to transition from Children’s to Adults’ Services, working with them from the age of 17 years to when they transition at 18 years. We also support colleagues who work with young care leavers up to the age of 25 years.
Older people’s mental health service
There are three teams across the county that work with people who are over 65 years and have complex social care needs that are related to their mental health condition. We also work with people of all ages who have a diagnosis of dementia.
The teams work closely with NHS mental health services and other agencies to support people and their families in a way that focuses on their strengths and existing support networks and we support people to keep safe when they are at risk.
Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs)
An AMHP is a person who is authorised to undertake assessments in line with the Mental Health Act (1983). This can lead to a decision about whether a person should be admitted to a mental health hospital on a voluntary or compulsory basis. AMHPs are often social workers who have undertaken additional training, but these staff can also be psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists or clinical psychologists.
During 2023-24:
- 1,480 Mental Health Act assessments (all ages) were completed (1,252 in 2022-23)
- 676 Mental Health Act referrals were received from Emergency Departments in general hospitals
- 1,007 applications for detention under the Mental Health Act were completed (1,038 in 2022-23)
Customer feedback on Mental Health Act assessments - Results
For the first time, the opportunity to provide feedback on the AMHP element of Mental Health Act assessments was offered to the 1,508 people using the service during 2023-24.
As at 31 August 2024, a total of 73 surveys had been completed which equates to a response rate of 4.84%.
- 77.9% were satisfied that the AMHP had explained the role to them.
- 70% felt that the AMHP had listened to them and taken their views into account.
- 70% said that they had been informed by the AMHP of the outcome from the assessment.
- 65% felt they were informed as to next steps after the assessment.
- 63.4% of those who completed the survey were satisfied with the overall approach taken in the assessment including their involvement.
These are generally positive results and we will use the feedback to inform our ongoing practice. We are planning to repeat the survey in 2025-26.
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Team
The Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) ensures that people are deprived of their liberty only when there is no other way to care for them safely or to provide them with treatment. DoLS ensures people who cannot consent to their care arrangements in a care home or hospital, are protected if those arrangements deprive them of their liberty.
- Referrals received and outcomes: During 2023-24 the team was involved with 9,279 DoLS cases (9,349 in 2022-23) . Of these, 5,059 were granted (4,943 in 2022-23) and 2,519 were not (2,745 in 2022-23). 1,701 did not have a decision.
- Gender and age: The majority of DoLS authorisations were for females and the majority of people were in the 85-94 years age group.