Agenda and draft minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred Members present to agenda item 1 in respect of filming at this meeting. Members noted the information contained therein.

Apologies for absence were received from Lourdes Keever, Venassa Holt and Ali Amasyali.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business (late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with as noted below).

None.

A Member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest

becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Members’ Register of Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interest are

defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

None.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29 of the Council’s Constitution.

None.

To consider and comment on mental health support for young people and how the transition from children’s services (CAMHS) to those provided for adults in managed.

Tina Read (Head of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Transformation at BEH (Barnet, Enfield and Haringey) Mental Health Trust (MHT)) outlined the range of services that were currently available to children and young people under the age of 18. 

Trailblazer was based in schools and was part of NHS England’s early intervention.  Choices was community based and could be accessed by self-referral.  Other CAMHS services were accessed through CAMHS Access, which triaged services according to need.  There were Core CAMHS teams, which provided support through multi-disciplinary teams.  There was also a Health and Well-Being service that was delivered through schools and GPs.  In addition, there was also specialist learning disability team and an adolescent outreach team that worked with young people at the higher end of needs. 

Partners delivered some services.  Open Door provided services to young people up to the age of 25 whilst the Tavistock and Portman provided outreach and assessments for neuro-disability. There was also new provision for crisis response:

·         A 24/7 Crisis Line;

·         Crisis hubs; and

·         North central London out-of-hours nurse led service.

In answer to a question, Tim Miller (Joint Assistant Director of Commissioning (Adults and Children)) stated that the vast majority of funding for mental health came from the NHS.  The local authority provided some funding for the Learning Disability service, Open Door and the Tavistock and Portman for their First Step service for looked after children.  In answer to another question, Ms Read stated that there was a four week waiting time target for a first appointment but it had been difficult to meet this during the pandemic.  In an emergency, the 24/7 helpline could be contacted and the Crisis Hub could see young people in one to four hours.   Some parents and young people chose to attend Accident and Emergency instead though. She was aware that waiting times could be long and work was taking place to bring them down.

In answer to a question regarding neuro-developmental assessments, Mr Miller acknowledged that there were long waiting times, particularly in respect of autism, and this had been highlighted in the recent local Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND) inspection.  Action to remedy this was a key part of the SEND Improvement Plan, which was currently being implemented.  Progress was being monitored by both the Department for Education and NHS England.

In answer to another question, Mr Miller stated that there had been considerable investment in autism assessment capacity for the under 11’s.   Prioritisation was based on level of need and how long that they had been waiting. More support was also being provided to those who were waiting for assessments, through the Markfield Project or Open Door.

In answer to a question regarding how young people accessed mental health services, Ms Read stated that there were a number of ways.  There was mental health support available in schools and schools themselves could make referrals.  There was also Choices, which was a self-referral service.  In addition, there was the Crisis Line.  Once  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.