WIRRAL MENTAL HEALTH MODERNISATION TEAM

Background:

Following the publication of the NSF for Mental Health in September, 1999, each local area was required to establish a multi-agency National Service Framework local implementation team. The team was required to produce a strategic plan by April, 2000. In Wirral, the team is known as the Mental Health Modernisation team, and sits within the overall Modernisation structure. There continues to be a strong emphasis on the key role and function of the Local Implementation Teams. This was reinforced by guidance issued by the Department of Health in October, 22001, which stated: 'LIT's have taken a strong lead in the change process. It is essential that this continue. Strong engagement of PCTs within LITs should form the basis of plans to take forward mental health service policy…. alongside organisational change.' As the local team continues to develop, it would seem important to state the aim of the group as being: To bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including service users and carers, to take the lead via partnership in developing and implementing mental health service policy. Following a review of the local Partnership and Governance arrangements, this group will encompass Adults and Older People's Mental Health.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Aims:

• To provide a vehicle for the provision of adult mental health services to be openly and honestly discussed, and for development to be planned between all key stakeholders, including users, carers, the voluntary sector and statutory providers.
• To make strong recommendations to commissioning bodies re: future funding and service developments.
• To improve the quality of life for service users and carers, via target setting, including the development of local performance indicators.
• To develop a 'shared' vision of the direction and development of adult mental health services in the Wirral.
• To act as a catalyst for the formation and monitoring of local plans within the framework of the national Mental Health policy agenda.
• To oversee delivery of the Mental Health National Service Framework, the relevant section of the Older People's National Service Framework NHS Plan, and 'Everybody's Business'.
• To set priorities for service development.
• To catalyse the establishment of sub groups, and to agree their closure.
• To disseminate and share information, including receipt of regular updates as to progress from representatives of the sub-groups.
• To performance monitor progress, with the aim of continuous improvement of services.
• To receive and take account of feedback from all relevant stakeholders at all levels, ensuring an equal voice for all stakeholders.
• To take account of the interaction, and to make and develop appropriate connections with other parts of the service, particularly CAMHS services and services provided in the acute sector.
• To ensure appropriate representation and links with The Health and Well-being Executive are maintained, and information is disseminated between the two groups.
• To work together to ensure that mental health remains a high priority within Wirral's overall partnership structure and with the community as a whole.
• To ensure links with the NW Strategic Health Authority, CSIP and Department of Health are maintained, and that reporting requirements to these bodies are met.
• To alert relevant statutory bodies to potential risks, delays or non-achievement of targets. • To act as a co-ordinating body, ensuring communication is timely and meaningful.
• To take into account issues relating to ethnicity, gender, disability and age in the work undertaken by the LIT. UNDERPINNING PRINCIPLES
• To support all members of the team to enable them to fully contribute and participate.
• To treat each other with dignity, respect and fairness.
• To respect the confidentiality of the individual members of the team
• To work together, using a team approach, to achieve the overall aims and objectives of the group.
• That all members should commit to regular attendance, and for membership and attendance to be regularly reviewed.