Agenda and minutes

Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council. 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’, 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 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein’.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Atolagbe, Chakraborty and Cohen.

Cllr Richards Barnes from the London Borough of Barnet attended the meeting as a substitute for Cllr Cohen.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business.

The Committee noted the pre-election guidance which indicated that, during the current pre-election period, Councillors should exercise caution to avoid any potentially controversial statements/decisions that could be associated with a particular party.

Cllr Pippa Connor declared an interest by virtue of her membership of the Royal College of Nursing.

Cllr Pippa Connor declared an interest by virtue of her sister working as a GP in Tottenham.

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

None.

·         Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust

·         Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust

Cllr Pippa Connor introduced the session noting that the two mental health Trusts represented at the meeting were expected to merge in October 2024. However, at present there were still two separate quality accounts reports for the Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust and the Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust. The two Trusts were currently represented by one shared executive team as what was currently known as the North London Mental Health Partnership (NLMHP).

Amanda Pithouse (Chief Nursing Officer), Vincent Kircher (Chief Medical Officer), Andrew Wright (Chief of Staff) and Caroline Sweeney (Partnership Director of Nursing – Quality Governance) introduced the draft quality accounts of behalf of the NLMHP.

Amanda Pithouse set out the NLMHP strategy which had the stated Purpose of “Working with our communities to improve mental health” and a Vision of “Better Health. Better Lives. Better Communities.” The four aims of the strategy were:

• Aim 1 – We will provide consistently high quality care, closer to home.
• Aim 2 – With our partners in North London and each Borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all.
• Aim 3 – We will offer great places to work, providing staff with a supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
• Aim 4 – We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, Quality Improvement and technology.

Some key developments over the past year had included:

• The publication of a new clinical strategy which had included service user, carer and partner input.
• The development of a new values and leadership framework which had involved over 600 staff and was aimed at supporting the merging of the workforces of the two Trusts.
• The publication of a new People and Organisational Development Strategy which aimed to make the organisation a great place to work and to attract and retain the best possible staff.
• The Partnership Board had signed up to a Sexual Safety Charter and Anti-Racism Statement and Action Plan.
• A new 78-bedded inpatient facility had opened at Highgate East.
• A new Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service had opened at Highgate West, providing 24/7 emergency mental health care across North London.
• New community mental health facilities had been opened at Lowther Road in Islington.
• A new section 136 pilot had been launched with the Metropolitan Police resulting in a 27% reduction of inappropriate detentions, a 38% reduction in people attending A&E and a 32% reduction in Police time spent attending mental health emergencies.
• A new mental health option had been added to the NHS 111 phone service with around 150-200 calls per week so far.
• The continuation of the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme which involved strengthening community services to keep more people out of hospital.

The NLMHP officers then responded to questions from the Committee about the Quality Accounts report for Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust:

• Cllr Connor referred to an issue that had been raised at the previous year’s scrutiny of the Quality Accounts about support for people with serious mental health issues after discharge. It had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.