Issue - meetings

It is recommended that the Executive:

a.     Note the report and the need to raise awareness through all sections of the community of the mental health support and advice networks that are available to Waverley staff and residents.

b.     adopt the Suicide Prevention Plan as set out at Annexe 2 to the Community Wellbeing O&S Committee Mental Health report attached at Annexe 1 to this report.

RESOLVED that

1.     the report and the need to raise awareness through all sections of the community of the mental health support and advice networks that are available to Waverley staff and residents be noted; and

2.     that the Suicide Prevention Plan as set out at Annexe 2 to the Community Wellbeing O&S Committee Mental Health report attached at Annexe 1 to this report be adopted.

[This matter has already been considered by the Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.]

Councillor Mirylees introduced the report, which had been considered by the Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Chairman of the Committee, Councillor Deanus, presented the report which set out proposals for raising awareness in the community of the mental health and advice support networks available; and the adoption of a Suicide Prevention Plan and thanked the contributors to the piece of work.

Councillor Hyman spoke on this item, expressing concern that the suicide prevention plan had not been published with the agenda and that the proposals suggested that the Council would be taking on work that should be carried out by trained professionals.

The Leader assured Councillor Hyman that the suicide prevention plan had been seen by Executive Members previously; many of whom had been present at the Overview and Scrutiny Committees at which the plan had been discussed.

Councillor Baker also spoke on this item expressing concern that she had not been called on to give evidence at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in light of her personal experience of this issue and urged the Executive Members to consider housing tenants as part of the piece of work, however acknowledged that the changes were urgently needed.

The Leader thanked Councillor Baker for her comments and her courage in speaking on this personal issue and assured her that there was value in adopting the recommendations but that more could be done in the future.

Councillor Rosoman spoke on the item, highlighting the need for staff to become aware of mental health issues, emphasising that staff were not expected to become experts but that talking about these issues was the first step.

The Leader welcomed the recommendations which would support staff and residents by signposting them to available resources. 

The Executive RESOLVED that

1.     the report and the need to raise awareness through all sections of the community of the mental health support and advice networks that are available to Waverley staff and residents be noted; and

2.     that the Suicide Prevention Plan as set out at Annexe 2 to the Community Wellbeing O&S Committee Mental Health report attached at Annexe 1 to this report be adopted.

Reason: The recommendations reflect the community leadership role that the Council has in supporting the most vulnerable in our communities in a wider mental health context as well as supporting the health and wellbeing of staff. Working in partnership with the Public Health team to adopt their recommendations on a local suicide prevention plan also supports another Corporate Strategy aim of working closely with Health and other partnerships “to achieve a more joined up approach for the whole borough to improve the health and wellbeing of all our residents.