Agenda Item Brief Notes Actions Who

PresentVicky Shipway (VS) (Chair), Ian Grebbell, Liz Hand, Stuart Talmage, Mike Freeman, ML Wilson, Dot Throssell, Si Parham, Larissa Milden, Carole Edwards, Caroline Keane, Esen Sekerkarar, Derrick Taylor, Enamul Haque, Zoe Copeland, Linda Bowyer, Kat Williams, Iliana Dekastrou, Amber Ford, Nick Pennell, Sarah Lees, Ayuko Higginson, Maurice Watts, David Curry, Emelle, Amanda Perry, Rachel Holmes, Siobhan Kelly, Val Woodward, Annabel, Kirsty Mitchell, Gemma Rowntree, Lin Walton, Hannah Hart until end Minute 3

1. Welcome/ Apologies

VS welcomed everyone to the meeting. As there were a number of new faces she explained that the Plymouth Mental Health Network had been running since 2008 as a group of individuals, groups and organisations who had an interest in mental health services in the City. The Chairship currently sits with VS who is the CEO of one of the network members Colebrook (SouthWest) Ltd.

VS explained that Chris Wilcox, who was previously the administrator for the Network had left at short notice and the Admin team at Colebrook were currently supplying the secretariat services to the Network. Unfortunately, the hand over had happened at short notice, but was not yet complete as website and social media were still in the process of being handed over, as a result some of the administration in the lead up to this meeting had not been as good as we would hope.

VS also explained that the agenda for today’s meeting would be turned around so the business is first as Hannah needs to leave and then members updates will follow.

2. Minute Accuracy/ Matters Arising

Minutes are now being shared via the website. There were no matters arising

3. PART 1

Business Section

Hannah Hart and Carole Edwards presented their work looking at improving the response of the criminal justice system to people with mental health issues.The meeting watched a video of Dot Throssell a volunteer from Heads Count, who had been filmed talking about her experiences as the carer of a son with mental health issues who came into contact with the Criminal Justice System. The piece had been used with the Chief Officers of all Criminal Justice organisations in the Devon and Cornwall Force area. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t6bz3-Ead4

Plymouth Mental Health NetworkE: info@plymouthmhn.org W: http://www.plymouthmhn.org/

Training is now being rolled out to all ranks of Police across the Devon and Cornwall area including PCSOs and they are also looking at cross-organisational training including health agencies.There are now co-located teams helping to embed practice, secondary health services are stretched so there is a street triage scheme including Mental Health Workers with access to records are in control rooms to advise.

CE did an update on CASS – they have now been operating for 13 years and it is not an uncommon story, there is a constant cohort of people going through the system.However, conversations and actions around Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System are starting to happen, and the third sector are playing a very important role. 5 years ago, you wouldn’t have had Health Staff sat around in meetings with Criminal Justice or Police staff.

LW briefed the meeting on Plymouth’s pathfinder status for Community Sentence Treatments, alternative sentences for low level, high volume crimes, using a psycho-social approach. A 12 week support programme sat currently with Plymouth Complex Needs Team as they are used to the complexity of the clients and working with other agencies. There have been really positive outcomes around people being able to maintain their jobs and family relationships and there are also good results, despite operating on a shoestring, with people involved through a partnership with Harbour. HH continued that there are 13 different orders that are available when sentencing but the Mental Health Treatment was never used despite always being there, as there was no organisation to refer the cases on to. We are looking to extend this further across Devon and Cornwall, however, the funding is currently only available in Plymouth through Livewell SW and Harbour.

We are currently in negotiations locally and nationally for increased funding, otherwise we will have to stop making the orders at Christmas.

Reps from Plymouth Options made the point that Probation used to refer serious violent offenders with Mental Health Issues to Plymouth Options for Anger Management courses, but this is not appropriate. The Managing Irritation and Frustration courses (MIF) have a risk assessment that would preclude them from taking anyone who is a violence risk

CE spoke about the challenges facing CASS as they support 70/80 offenders and their families per month in open drop in sessions with no appointments and no time limits. Often unwilling to be labelled as mental health, however, 50/60 of those have mental health diagnoses. Often the complex needs mean that CASS are supporting with the immediate issues such as severe financial issues rather than helping with

mental health issues. CASS works with everyone below prison and probation, often they are seen not as having mental health issues but behavioural problems. CASS as part of the third sector working through volunteers has some flexibilitiy and they intend to use the survey to understand why people present at CASS rather than Mental Health services.

Hard copies of the survey were handed out.

CE mentioned that whilst it may appear that HH is part of a large team, it is worth explaining that she works outside the main Criminal Justice agencies and only works 4 days per week

4. Members Update Sarah Lees @ Public Health – Our work covers preventing illness and promoting well health and includes preventing suicide in prison.

We have recently completed 5 ways to Wellbeing through the THRIVE initiative, which remains a key focus as we move on to a new year of THRIVE

Stuart @ NHS Volunteer – Plymouth University raises awareness of Mental Health Issues amongst its staff, however, staff turnover is so high that it is very difficult to monitor whether stress and other mental health issues are causes.

Nick Pennell @Healthwatch Plymouth – Quite a few staffing changes recently, including Karen who lead the service in Plymouth, however, it is business as usual and we continue to ask the awkward questions. We’re working strategically with Healthwatch Devon and Healthwatch Torbay on the Sustainability Transformation Plan (STP).

A new Devon-wide strategy for Mental Health has been published and found wanting as were plans for updating processes and engagement. There is now a 9-point plan to improve

Mike Freeman @ Service User and Volunteer - Improving Lives Plymouth – Active for All – there ara a number of activities running including Boccia group including people with mental health issues that meet at the Life Centre. There is a day long event on 18 th November.

Larissa Milden @ Improving Lives Plymouth – We are a Health & Wellbeing charity, with a project supporting carers and another helping those with long term health conditions to manage them better.

Amber Ford @ Plymouth Options – A depression and anxiety service, now take direct bookings to our longer courses including MIF (4

weeks) and Anxiety, Depression, Stress (2 per week)

Jenna @ Remploy – A confidential support and advice service to people experiencing poor mental health, to keep them at work.

Kat Williams @ City College Plymouth – Learning Support Worker, working with students with Learning and Mental Health Needs, promoting self-care as well as existing in-house and external services.

Linda Bowyer @ Plymouth City Council – Recently attended ASIST training and would recommend the course to anyone, there was a real mix of attendees. Currently championing mental health across fellow Councillors. It is difficult to know if it is having any beneficial effect, but hopefully it is, for too long we’ve shut the door on mental health.

Zoe Copeland @ MIND Recovery College – The Recovery College courses are being updated and revised. MHFA is running on 9th and 10th Jan and can be booked on Eventbrite at £60.

Have PONToon European Funding to use digital tools to work with 18-35 year olds to move them towards employment. Hoping to get the toolkit out in the New Year.

Siobhan @ Wolseley Trust – They are currently putting together a directory of services to be used for Social Prescribing

Emelle @ Simply Counselling – Domestic Abuse services for anyone with a child in their life. Looking to expand in to other forms of abuse. Other counselling services are available, including working with people where long-term support is required.

David @ Simply Counselling – Looking for volunteer counsellors, interviews will be on 10th December.

@ The University of Plymouth - have opened S.P.A.C.E. (Socialise Play Aspire Connect Enjoy) an initiative to create a safe meeting place for student wellbeing and mental health.

Liz Hand @ Cass+ - more involved with prisons now, inmates can phone direct from their cells in Exeter Prison to ask any questions relevant to their release in Plymouth. A new cohort of volunteers have just been trained and we’re in the process of updating the website. Housing related issues have grown considerably in Plymouth in recent months and often these dovetail with mental health issues.

Maurice Watts @ Harbour Centre – Complex Needs – He is quite new and working with the Mental Health Treatment Orders discussed

earlier. They are hoping to take on another worker soon.

Derrick Taylor @ Rethink – helps people with the issues they have linked to their mental health issues such as housing, benefits, socialisation, etc.

Esen Sekerkarar @ PTSD Association – run an 8-week stress training course put together by Massachusetts Medical School.

Caroline Keane @ PTSD Association – Caroline has worked with or had interest from the MOD, Exeter University Mood Centre, Deputy Chief Councillor of Plymouth City Councillor, HMS Drake and Combat Stress.

Si Parham @ Heads Count – We have a lived experience ethos, a network feeding back on Mental Health services and working with anybody else to improve mental good health across the City.

Dot Throssell @ Head Space – Volunteering at the out of hours drop in “Head Space” run as a part of Heads Count.

Carole Edwards @ Cass+ - Any clients from services coming to Court get a referral in to CASS+. Many people do not have legal representations when they come to Court. Personal links between the workers in different organisations improves the quality of referrals between those organisations.

Vicky Shipway @ Colebrook - Three strands to Colebrook’s work, Support services including our Supported Accommodation and we will have another 2 properties coming on stream soon. Community, operating out of two Community Centres in St Budeaux and Crownhill and Engagement which alongside Healthwatch Plymouth also included Heads Count and Head Space the new out of hours “Crisis Café” for people who are starting to approach mental health crisis.

AOB SL has recently presented an update on Suicide Prevention to the Health & Wellbeing Board, she is willing to present to the PMHN at a future meeting.

ST highlighted that one of the training issues is that people who don’t deal with the focus on a daily basis, forget and need to have regular refreshers for those occasions when it is needed.

MF reminded everyone that Improving Lives Plymouth is a charity funded partly by its 110 Club, interested people from around the area who

each pay £% per week to help the fundraising effort.

ZC reminded everyone that MIND do run an Anger Management Course, individual eligibility is established through assessment.

AP asked if there is any support for hoarders in Plymouth? Plymouth Support Group on Hoarding online. Vulnerable adults could be assessed by Adult Social Care and hoarding is one thing that might be covered by a care package. Colebrook can provide assistance through its Outreach support programmes

5. Date of next meeting (added later)

9.30am, Friday 21st March 2019 - hosted by Colebrook at the William Sutton Memorial Hall, 6 Shelley Way, St Budeaux, Plymouth PL5 1QF