Agenda item

This report provides an update on the Outcome Based Review (OBR) for Mental Health and Employment following completion of the discover and define phases of the OBR.

Phil Porter (Strategic Director, Community Wellbeing) introduced the report updating the Board on the OBR for Mental Health and Employment. The Board was reminded that the overarching aim of the OBR was ‘to increase the number of people with mental illness thriving in work’. The ‘discover’ and ‘design’ phases of the OBR had now been completed; the first phase scoping existing service delivery and the second, establishing a vision for future arrangements via stakeholder engagement.

A project board comprising representatives of key partner organisations including the DWP, Brent CCG and the Council had been established. The Board had agreed to narrow the focus of the OBR to achieve meaningful outcomes from the process and a number of options were considered. Data confirmed that the largest group of working age people not in work and known to have a mental health condition were those in receipt of Employment Support Allowance – in Brent this was 5,098 people. It was explained that those in receipt of ESA were channelled into one of two groups: the ‘work related activity group’ or the ‘support group’. There was no expectation for those in the latter group to be supported back into work and contact was usually limited to three-yearly medical assessments/reviews. However, a number of people within this group had reported wanting to work or feeling that they could move towards work with the right support. In Brent, there were 3,770 people in the ESA support group. Having considered the findings of the initial phase, the project board had agreed that it was this group that should be the focus of the OBR.

The design phase had comprised a visioning day with key stakeholders which had generated a number of ideas, as detailed in the paper provided. The OBR project Board intended to proceed with three projects: 1) Accessible Pathways – which included considering how to commission services at a strategic level to better align provision and using existing frameworks to support communications. 2) Health and Social Care Navigators and Link Workers to support strong connections between GPs and the Job Centre Plus. 3) Creating pathways into major employers.

In concluding the introduction, Phil Porter welcomed comments and advised that the Health and Wellbeing Board was being asked to endorse and commit to the approach and projects described.

In the ensuing discussion the Board noted the following matters:

·         Dr Patel and Dr Halai emphasised the importance of the role of the link worker for GP surgeries. Members of the Board further emphasised that every point of access to a system should be able to appropriately sign post a service user to the right services. Phil Porter confirmed that link workers would not be a wholly new resource, but would rather build on plans already in place by the CCG.

·         Ian Niven highlighted that Brent Healthwatch had recently completed a report on social isolation which echoed some of the key issues discussed concerning navigating multi-agency and multi-sector resources. This report would be shared with the Board.

·         The Accessible Pathways project would include establishing appropriate feedback mechanisms at both strategic and operational levels to create more cohesive systems. Service user feedback would be an essential part of this and recommendations regarding existing groups or channels of communication would be welcomed.

·         The Executive Board of Brent CCG would be formally considering the proposals at its meeting on 24 July 2019.

·         Sandra Ademola confirmed that those making a claim for ESA now would be referred to Universal Credit and therefore there was no scope for advocating for national policy change. The policy under Universal Credit was very different.

The Board subsequently RESOLVED:

i)              That the update on the OBR be noted.

ii)            That the approach described in the paper be endorsed.