To discuss the current provision of mental health services in Waverley and agree the approach the Committee would like to take in addressing the issue.
Minutes:
Louise Norie, Corporate Policy Manager, advised that at the last meeting it had been agreed she would carry out some research into mental health provision in the Borough with a particular emphasis on looking at the County's Suicide Prevention Strategy and whether this would be something this committee would like to recommend to the executive that we could adopt.
They were advised that the research on mental health provision is still ongoing but the committee would receive an update, along with Councillor Foryszewski’s input on the Suicide Prevention Strategy and the role the council could play in this. They were advised that the strategy that the County had put together in 2019 builds on a previous strategy.
It was highlighted that the details are upsetting:
· there are 13 suicides a day in England and whilst these figures are lower in Surrey than elsewhere in the country every single death is a tragedy and the effect on family friends and the community is devastating.
· It is the leading cause of death for men under 50 and for young people
· there's now evidence that high rates of suicide are also occurring in older people 69 plus
· key factors are things like isolation, poor health and recent loss of partner or spouse and
It was highlighted that there are new challenges coming forward such as:
· rising rates of self-harm in children and young people;
· the influence of social media on mental health and well-being;
· economic changes such as recession; and
· most recent of all the impact of Covid particularly on mental health.
In 2018 the secretary of state announced that nationally they were aiming for a zero suicide ambition for mental health in patients. However Surrey's ambition is greater than that. They want to aim in their strategy for zero suicides throughout the whole community so the strategy is organized under six key priorities and they follow the national suicide prevention strategy.
The priorities are:
· understanding suicide and preventing suicide in Surrey;
· tailoring approaches to improve emotional well-being in particular groups;
· reducing access to the means of suicide by promoting suicide safer communities;
· reducing attempted suicide and self-harm especially amongst children and young people including those who have experienced adverse events;
· providing better information and support to those bereaved by suicide; and
· prevention of suicide among identified high risk groups particularly those with mental ill health.
The latest figures from CCG’s are that North East Hampshire and Farnham CCG have the highest suicide rates in the county whilst the Guilford and Waverly CCG area have one of the lowest.
The strategy makes the point that no organization is able to directly influence any of these priorities and therefore a multi-agency approach is absolutely vital and so a strategy group has been set up to deliver the plan and it's made up of 45 partners. One of the main thrusts of the strategy is making training available for organizations including Boroughs and Districts that have contact on a regular basis.
Councillor Foryszewski and Louise Norie met with the public health lead on suicide prevention to investigate how we could get involved as a council, and she advised that she had already started working with some districts in surrey on local plans to prevent suicide. The bulk of the work will be providing training for staff to raise awareness, recognize signs and signpost to organizations who are already involved in this area.
The training would be things like mental health first aid training which actually Waverly staff have already embarked on. We had a pilot scheme and a few members of staff have already undertaken this training.
The Committee commended this approach and agreed we should look at what we can do as a committee.
It was AGREED the committee continue to investigate involvement in a local suicide prevention plan and bring back to the March meeting. If the committee agree to the report we could recommend to the Executive that we take part in delivering a local plan.