Community News: Redesigning Adult & Older People’s Specialist Mental Health Services in Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal

Have your say on proposed changes to local mental health services

Tuesday 6 March – Tuesday 29 May 2018.

There are approximately 7,000 adults and older people from a population of 480,000 across Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal who receive care and support from specialist mental health services. Of these approximately 350 people per year require an inpatient stay at the Millbrook Unit in Macclesfield, meaning that 95 per cent of care is already provided in the community.

Local NHS partners are proposing a redesign of these services for a number of reasons. User and carer feedback, along with recent audit recommendations and inspections, told the partners that some things in these services work well but that other things need to change for the better.

Through the proposed redesign NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS South Cheshire CCG, NHS Vale Royal CCG and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust want to:

• provide new services so that there is better access for people to help keep them well and active in the community
• provide much greater choice of services for those in, or at risk of, crisis;
• support people with dementia and those who care for them to stay in their own surroundings

Service users and their carers have shared their thoughts; describing that they “deserve to thrive, not just survive”, that they want responsive community services available 24/7 and they do not want to be admitted to hospital unless it is absolutely necessary.

For these reasons, the local NHS partners as mentioned above have developed a set of proposals that puts early intervention and prevention at the heart of adult and older people’s specialist mental health services and, if introduced, will provide:

• An improved community mental health service that helps people get better more quickly and prevents hospital admissions
• A 24-hour crisis support service for people who are acutely unwell
• A dementia outreach service that visits people in their own homes
• An improved experience for people who need hospital care.

Have Your Say

You can #JoinTheConversation and have your say on the proposals put forward by local NHS partners in many ways:

• By completing the online questionnaire available by clicking here
• By attending one of the six public events where you can have your say
• By telephoning freephone number 0808 169 1189 if you need help completing the survey or require a paper copy.

Alongside the main consultation document there are a number of supporting documents - held on the NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG website that people can read for further information about the case for change and proposals for the redesign for adult and older people's specialist mental health services.

Please call 0808 169 1189 if you require this information in another language or an alternative format such as large print, braille or audio.

Social Media – Suggested Tweets

Local NHS partners have launched their Consultation on Adult & Older People’s Mental Health Services in Cheshire. Have your say here www.easterncheshireccg.nhs.uk

#JoinTheConversation

Help our partners to improve adult and older people’s mental health services in Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal. They’re holding several events so you can have your say. Find out more here www.easterncheshireccg.nhs.uk #JoinTheConversation

If you want to tell us your views about mental health services for adults in Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal please fill out our local NHS partners’ survey or call freephone 0808 169 1189 #JoinTheConversation

Our local NHS partners have launched a public consultation on adult and older people’s specialist mental health services. To find out more about what this means for service provision in Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal visit www.easterncheshireccg.nhs.uk #JoinTheConversation

What’s most important to think about when delivering adult specialist mental health services in Cheshire? We want to know your views. Complete the survey here #JoinTheConversation

Community News: Mental Health Consultation to Start

A 12-week public consultation on proposals to redesign specialist mental health services for adults and older people experiencing severe or long term mental ill-health is to start on Tuesday (6 March).

The consultation relates to services available to a population of 480,000 people across Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal. Specialist mental health support is provided for approximately 7,000 adults and older people each year in these areas. 95 per cent of that care is provided in the community.

Dr Ian Hulme, GP with Meadowside Medical Centre in Congleton and clinical lead for mental health at NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, said: “We are proposing a redesign of these services to significantly improve mental health support, with a focus on early prevention and more choice. 

"User and carer feedback, along with recent clinical audit recommendations and inspections, told us that some things in these services work well but that other things need to change for the better.

“One service user told us that they ‘deserve to thrive, not just survive’ and I, together with clinical colleagues across Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal, are united in our view that this proposed model of care will support people with specialist mental health
needs to do just that.”

Dr Teresa Strefford, clinical director for commissioning, NHS South Cheshire CCG and NHS Vale Royal CCG, said: “Most people can be supported very effectively in the community with the right range of services. 95 per cent of the 7,000 people we currently support with specialist mental health needs receive that care in the community and we want to improve it.

“The new model of care we are proposing would provide new services so that there is better access for people to help keep them well and active in the community. It would also provide much greater choice of services for those in, or at risk of, crisis, and support people with dementia and those who care for them to stay in their own surroundings.”

Dr Anushta Sivananthan, consultant psychiatrist with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, added: “People have told us they want more personalised care, more support in the local community, and one point of contact for crisis care. They also want a choice of support in different places – for example, at home, in a drop-in centre or in a crisis bed and that they don’t want to be in hospital unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“We value the feedback we have already received and we now ask service users, carers and the general public to get involved with this public consultation and help us shape better services for the future.”

The consultation runs from 6 March 2018 to 29 May 2018 and no decision will be made until after the consultation findings have been fully considered. Any new service arrangements would be introduced gradually into 2019.

For more information, visit easterncheshireccg.nhs.uk where the online survey and details of the public events are published.

Community News: Cheshire East takes great strides to reduce bed blocking in hospitals

Cheshire East hospital patients are among the least likely to be delayed being allowed home – according to national figures.

Statistics for October 2017 put Cheshire East top out of 151 local authority areas in England for avoiding ‘bed blocking’ – the term used to describe delays to people being discharged from hospital due to a lack of suitable NHS services or social care to support patients in the community. Figures for November also ranked the authority 85th out of 151 for performing well.

Cheshire East is also bucking the regional and national trend, which saw 89 out of 151 councils missing their target for beds being ‘blocked’ due to delayed transfers of care.

The ‘top table’ performance shows Cheshire East Council and its health partners in the NHS are working well together to provide the care that people need.

Councillor Liz Wardlaw, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for health, said: “This is excellent news for patients and their families as no one wants to be in hospital longer than is absolutely necessary. These new figures highlight how health staff and our care teams are working effectively together to improve outcomes for inpatients and freeing up vital beds for those awaiting hospital care.

“This is especially important during winter – when there is increased pressure on our hospitals. However, there can be no room for complacency and we know there is still work to be done to ensure better joined-up working between hospitals and the council’s care teams to ensure hospital beds are used efficiently and effectively to be available for those most in need.

“This collaborative work with our NHS colleagues is part of our joint commitment to provide the right care in the right place at the right time. As with wider adult social care support, we know that most people want to be cared for and supported at home – where practicable – and we are working with our health partners to achieve this and give people greater choice.

“As winter continues to really pinch, we also need all members of the public to play their part in helping us achieve this, by using A&E services wisely and using alternatives, where appropriate for less serious health matters, so as not to unduly burden our under-pressure emergency teams.”

Cheshire East’s performance in the latest reports is the result of new arrangements between hospitals and other care providers for planning the discharge of patients who are likely to have ongoing care and support needs after a hospital stay.

John Wilbraham, chair of the Eastern Cheshire A&E Delivery Board and chief executive of East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: “This good national ranking is a reflection of the Cheshire East health and social care systems working together to provide improved services for people.

“For advice on warding off winter ailments and choosing the right care at the right time, visit www.easterncheshireccg.nhs.uk and search for ‘stay well this winter’.”

Tracy Bullock, chief executive of Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and chair of the Central Cheshire A&E Delivery Board, said: “Teams at Leighton Hospital have been working incredibly hard alongside local partners to ensure our patients do not stay in hospital for longer than they need to. As a result, our delayed transfers of care (DToC) rate has recently been the lowest it has ever been and at one stage was the best in the country.

“It’s pleasing to see the success of this collaborative working and, more importantly, that it is benefitting patients.”

Targets for reducing DToCs were introduced this year by the Department of Health and Department for Communities and Local Government to encourage the NHS and local government to work better together to reduce the number of people remaining in hospital because of health-related or social-care related delays.

Each month, local authorities receive their ranking regarding health and social care partner working together to reduce DToCs. Cheshire East was ranked top in October and 35th in September.

More information about staying well this winter can be found on the council’s website under Winter Wellbeing at: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell

Winter Wellbeing – Accessing the Right Health Services for Your Needs

Cheshire East Council and its partners are offering a range of advice and support to residents on how to keep warm, well and safe this winter. This week, residents are urged to make sure they access the right health services for their needs.

During the winter months, health services can become overwhelmed through greatly increased demand.  To help limit the impact, it’s important that you are aware of which service is right for you at a given time. The advice is to:

• Call NHS 111 if you urgently need medical help or advice but it is not a life-threatening situation. You can also call NHS 111 if you're not sure which NHS service you need

• Call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk

• Visit a walk-in centre or minor injuries unit if you have a minor illness or injury (cuts, sprains or rashes) and it can’t wait until your GP surgery is open

• Ask your local pharmacist for advice – your pharmacist can give you advice for many common minor illnesses, such as diarrhoea, minor infections, headache, travel advice or sore throats

• Make an appointment with your GP if you are feeling unwell and it is not an emergency.

If you start to feel unwell, even if it is just a cough or cold, don’t wait until it gets more serious – get help from your pharmacist. The sooner you get advice the better.

If you’ve been prescribed antibiotics or other medication, don’t forget to pick up your prescription before the Christmas holidays start, as many GP surgeries and pharmacies will be closed during that time.

Make sure you also speak to your pharmacist about medicines you should have in stock to help get you and your family through the winter season. Also check to see if older neighbours, relatives and friends have the medication they need.

If you do need help over the holiday period, when your GP surgery or pharmacy is closed, call NHS 111 or visit www.nhs.uk, where you can be directed to a local service that is open.

Councillor Liz Wardlaw, cabinet member for health at Cheshire East Council, said: “Residents have a range of services they can access if they feel unwell or need advice during winter. But it’s important that the services they do access are appropriate to their needs.

“You can do your part in helping to take the strain off health services by stocking up on medication before the Christmas holidays, keeping an eye on vulnerable members of the community and ensuring you get help and advice as soon as you start to feel unwell.”

For further winter wellbeing advice, visit: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell and scroll down to the winter wellbeing section. Advice can also be found on the council’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/cheshireeastcouncil and on Twitter at @CheshireEast

Residents can help friends and neighbours, who do not have internet access, by downloading and printing off information from the website and giving it to them.

South Cheshire and Vale Royal Patients Urged to Keep Antibiotics Working

Infections becoming resistant to antibiotics - longer term, current treatments will no longer work
With the warning that some infections are becoming more resistant to antibiotic medicines, NHS South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Vale Royal CCG want us to know when we should, and shouldn’t be taking them.

As the weather grows colder and winter closes in, many patients will be developing coughs, colds and flu, with some thinking they need antibiotics to treat their illness. However, in most cases they won’t be the best or appropriate way of treating symptoms.

This week (13th-19th November) is World Antibiotic Awareness Week with the theme of seeking advice from a qualified healthcare professional if you think you may need antibiotics.

Dr Fiona McGregor-Smith, GP and Prescribing Lead at the CCGs, said: “It is a common misconception that antibiotics are a cure-all, but the reality is, they just won’t work in the case of a cold or the flu. There are many different types of antibiotics and they work against bacterial infections, not viral infections, such as colds, coughs and flu.

“In recent years, the over-usage of antibiotics has actually led to the development and spread of
bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Where people contract infections caused by these antibiotic-resistant bacteria, they will take much longer to get better and in some cases could become seriously ill. Keeping antibiotics effective is everyone’s responsibility and we all need to take care to use them responsibly and keep antibiotics effective for our children and future generations.”
This is a global problem with the World Health Organisation saying that “taking antibiotics when they are not needed accelerates emergence of antibiotic resistance, one of the biggest threats to global health.”

Overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to become resistant, meaning current treatments will no longer work. Not all infections can be treated with antibiotics; antibiotics don’t cure viruses like colds and flu.

Only take antibiotics prescribed to you, do not share them with family or friends
Antibiotics are not always the answer. Do not demand antibiotics if your health care professional says you don’t need them.

Always seek the advice of a qualified health care professional when taking antibiotics Dr McGregor-Smith added: “If you have been prescribed antibiotics it’s really important that you finish taking the full course, even if you feel better. If you stop taking an antibiotic part way through a course, the bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotic.”

Your local pharmacist can help advise on the best way to manage minor illnesses including the common cold and flu. Pharmacists provide advice, support, treatment and can signpost patients to the most appropriate healthcare provider if necessary.

Further information about staying well this winter is available at www.nhs.uk/staywell.