Agenda item

The Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT)  submits an update on the LPT Transformation programme. Members are asked to note and comment as they see fit.

Councillor Dr Sangster entered the meeting during the consideration of this item of business.

Dr Peter Miller, the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) submitted a report that provided an update on the LPT Transformation Programme.

Dr Miller presented the report and Members heard that their ability to consistently improve mental health services was not as good as the Trust would want.  Representatives from the LPT had visited the Northumberland Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust, as this was now an outstanding mental health trust and they were helping the LPT on their improvement journey.

Dr Miller explained that there was an immediate focus to improve safety, and work was ongoing with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). A considerable amount of work had taken place to improve waiting times and the access targets for CAMHS were being met. However, once a young person had been assessed, they had a considerable wait before treatment commenced, and there were currently 1500 young people waiting for treatment.  Dr Miller expressed concerns about the number of people in immediate crisis who were being sent out of the county, however over the last six months this figure had improved. The Trust needed to ensure that the length of stay was appropriate and that the care on the ward was as effective as possible. However, the length of stay on the ward was higher than the national average so there was still more work that needed to be done.  Dr Miller said that the Trust was also working to improve the caseloads of Community Mental Health teams.

The Chair noted that Dr Miller had expressed concerns that the Trust’s current position was not where it should be, and said that the Scrutiny Commission was due to receive a performance report from the action plan and therefore there was a piece of work to do in relation to that, on top of which there had now been a further inspection.  Dr Miller explained that the latest inspection had looked at the Bradgate Unit and CAMHS and three other areas of the Trust.

The Chair reiterated that the Commission wanted to receive a full performance report and she also requested a separate briefing session for Members. The Chair expressed disappointment that the report lacked detail and context, a view that was echoed by other Members, and said that she would like to meet with Dr Miller in between meetings at a time that was convenient for him.

A Member expressed concerns at the references to individuals in crisis and children with eating disorders and said that better partnership working was needed to identify problems with children earlier. Dr Miller responded that the LPT were working with Public Health and University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) across the Sustainability Transformation Plan (STP).  The Future in Mind programme also addressed early intervention relating to mental health issues and there was a need to continue to invest in this.  Ivan Browne, the Acting Director of Public Health commented that the Health and Wellbeing Strategy aimed to prevent people from developing mental health issues.

A Member commented that she was a governor in two special schools, Millgate and Keyham, and that she recommended a visit to those schools to see what they were doing. The meeting heard that children’s lives had been turned around because a new and very impressive programme had been implemented.        

Dr Miller was asked as to how confident he was that, with the support from the Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust, the Bradgate Unit and CAMHS would be awarded a very good or outstanding rating. Dr Miller responded that  Tyne and Wear were now doing very well and by following their procedures, he was hopeful that the LPT would improve. The Bradgate Unit was one part of the pathway and a bid had been submitted to improve the building. The Chair reminded Dr Miller that the Commission had requested sight of the strategic outline case and Dr Miller said that they had a more concise document and when it was complete he would bring the full case.

The Chair commented that Dr Miller had said approximately two years ago, that the Trust was on the good side of Requiring Improvement, but the CQC in their inspection had said that they were on the wrong side of Requiring Improvement. The Chair asked Dr Miller if he was confident of being awarded an outstanding rating. Dr Miller said that this would not happen in a year.

A Member commented that she was pleased that the Commission were looking back at previous reports and promises of improvement.

The Chair drew the discussion to a close and expressed thanks to the previous Director of Public Health, Ruth Tennant, who had recently left the authority.

AGREED:

1.    for a substantial report on the performance of the Leicestershire Partnership Trust, including the previous and the most recent CQC inspection, be brought to the Commission; and

2.      that it be noted that the Chair would welcome a meeting with the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Partnership Trust in between meetings of the Commission.