More cuts and gobbledygook for Kirklees Adults Health and Social Care Scrutiny Panel to dissect, Tuesday 17th July

Kirklees Council Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee meets at 10am on Tuesday 17 July  to scrutinise proposals for what looks like cuts to adult social care services, and for doing something to mental health rehabilitation and recovery services which it is impossible to fathom from the document

Kirklees NHS and social care services face a shortfall of over £200m in 2020/21, if current ways of providing services don’t change.

Future of Adult social care services

A consultation recently concluded on proposed changes to Kirklees Council’s Adult Social Care “offer”. These proposals are driven by the fact that – at a time when central government has radically cut its grant to local authorities, and is set to make further cuts – adult social care takes 36% of Kirklees Council’s spending and the demand for adult social care is projected to grow by 30% in the next 10-15 years.

The proposed changes are basically about cutting adult social care by expecting people to help themselves on the basis of information, training and household adaptations from the Council and getting support from community groups. And they also aim to tighten up direct payments, which people use to buy care for themselves. The document is here.

Mental health rehabilitation and recovery community services development

The mental health rehabilitation and recovery services “development” proposals are subject to engagement with stakeholders, which is due to start on August 28th

It is impossible to figure out what the proposed development is. The 19 page document says it is for patients with serious mental illness that includes a primary diagnosis of psychosis.

It says the development involves the re-provision of Enfield Down Services to include a bed base and supported living accommodation with an enhanced community service model, which is to be developed.

It says that currently Enfield Down is an inpatient rehabilitation service with 20 patients – but many need long term complex care rather than rehabilitation services, plus there are 43 patients in out of area locked rehabilitation placements.

Apart from that I couldn’t figure out from the document what on earth the proposals are.

And if Enfield Down is stopping being an inpatient service and turning into a community rehabilitation service, where are the people who need inpatient rehabilitation going to go?

The 19 page document says the proposed transformation is in line with the Joint Commissioning Panel Guidance for Mental Health Rehabilitation Services.

The 19 page document also says Background Papers are available on request and are included within the CCGs Programme management office. So Councillors, please request them and put them on this website so everyone can see them.

Let’s hope the Scrutiny Committee can find out what is proposed and whether it is fit for the Kirklees public.

A recent (3rd July) Care Quality Commission Report says the mental health trust is overall in need of improvement and community health services for working age adults are among its specific services that are in need of improvement.

In 2015, Calderdale Adults Health and SocialCare Scrutiny Panel scrutinised deeply confusing plans for the future of Calderdale’s mental health rehabilitation and recovery services.

The mental health trust (South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust) and Calderdale Council’s rehabilitation and recovery service both presented proposals to cut mental health rehabilitation and recovery beds – although these vital beds were already in short supply.

John Keaveny from the mental health trust outlined plans to close 3 of the trust’s rehabilitation and recovery units across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, with the loss of 56 beds between them.

The plan was to replace them with one 20 bed unit to serve all three areas – without specifying where. This meant losing a total of 36 beds.

The mental health trust and Calderdale Council’s Rehabilitation and Recovery Service aimed to move patients out of rehab and recovery accommodation into their own homes, supported by ‘a flexible community offer’ – whatever SWYPFT might mean by this jargon.

Is the Kirklees proposal anything to do with this?