Appendix 1

Offer

Approach

Mental health and wellbeing

Through its Public Health function the Council works with NHS partners to support the improvement of the mental health and well-being of the population of West Sussex. This includes leading on the West Sussex Health and Well-being Board which encompasses mental health in it’s brief, understanding mental health needs through the development and publication of the joint strategic needs assessment, and leading on multi-agency suicide awareness and prevention.

See the Public Mental Health Needs Assessment 2024 on the West Sussex JSNA website,

and

the West Sussex Suicide Prevention Framework and Action Plan 2023-2027 on the West Sussex County Council website.

Offer

Approach

Parameters and Additional Information

Early help, advice, information, advocacy, and prevention (including under Care Act)

The Council offers an online advice and information resource Connect to Support which any resident can access for support around their mental health. All the Council’s services aim to help people stay healthy and be as independent as possible.

Through joint commissioning arrangements the Council supports the provision of a mental health support offer provided by the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) which is open to any West Sussex resident who wishes to access. (This service currently called Pathfinder.)

The Council is committed to helping people find the support that best meets their needs, and our staff will offer advice and help to everyone living in West Sussex. However, there are some things the Council does not do. These include the provision of state benefits; organising council or housing association homes or supporting people who are homeless; providing health care services which are the responsibility of the NHS to provide; and providing legal advice to the public.

The Council commissions, contracts and works with housing partners including Borough and District Councils and the NHS to develop and stimulate the supply of appropriate housing for people with mental health needs.

The Council does not have a duty to provide specific mental health services but recognises that the existence of them means that the Care Act duty to provide information and advice and to support the provision of statutory advocacy are fulfilled by them. Also that their provision reduces need and demand for services where there is a duty (Care Act eligible/Council support) and offers a pathway out of care services which would otherwise be subject to charging arrangements for individuals.

The Council does not have a duty to provide housing but recognises that housing is a vital part of mental health support and that the availability and maintenance of suitable accommodation and housing support can reduce demand for Care Act eligible funded services. People stay well, problems do not develop or worsen. Also that a lack of housing can increase the costs of providing Care Act eligible care.

Offer

Approach

Parameters and Additional Information

Care Act 2014

The Council employs and manages a team of appropriately qualified and trained mental health social care staff who undertake mental health social care assessments and ensure care is provided to meet needs through allocation of personal budgets or arrangement of care and support packages. This team also ensures duties under S117 of MHA are fulfilled and also any Safeguarding investigations are undertaken for their customers. (On occasion, some S117 duties are overseen by other Adult Social care teams. There is a central Safeguarding referral hub and triage process which makes decisions on whether investigations are required.)

The Council leads a multi-agency Transitions Panel to ensure that young people with eligible mental health needs can be supported effectively to make a smooth transition from children’s to adult’s support services.

The Council commissions, contracts and ensures the availability & quality of appropriate mental health care and support services using its mental health joint strategic needs assessment, market position statement and commissioning strategy to understand and set goals around what is required. It also consults, engages with and supports service providers through forums and engagement activities.

To ensure and assure the quality of its contracted mental health services the Council ensures that there is good contract management and review and also that support is provided to service providers to develop and improve.

The Council contracts with voluntary and community sector organisation (Currently Carers Support West Sussex) to undertake assessments of carers needs and provide support to carers of people with mental health problems. This service is open to any carer wishing to access the service.

The Council also proactively uses grant, short-term funding and partnership opportunities (including with & from NHS) to enhance available services and support and what is offered. (Currently: Changing Futures Programme, Mental Health Social Work Discharge Team, Winter Pressures funding, Mental Health Review team etc).

Parameters around choice in terms of accommodation-based support are outlined in the Choice of Accommodation Policy on the West Sussex Connect to Support website.

The residential care contract and Supported Living Framework are both relevant and applicable for mental health needs.

Offer

Approach

Parameters and Additional Information

Mental Health Act 1983

S117 Duties (see the Approach cell in the Care Act 2014 row).

The Council employs, manages and deploys a team of appropriately qualified and trained Approved Mental Health Professionals to undertake and contribute to MHA assessments as required.

Through joint commissioning arrangements the Council supports the provision of IMHA advocacy services.

Offer

Approach

Parameters and Additional Information

Mental Capacity Act

The Council employs and manages a team of appropriately qualified and trained staff who undertake all work in relation to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards also ensures that Council managers are on call to support this process.

Through joint commissioning arrangements the Council supports the provision of IMCA advocacy services.