Agenda item

To hear from Nick Bishop of the Mental Health Carers Support Association

The panel heard from Nick Bishop on the history and services provided by the Mental Health Carers Support Association (MHCSA).  Further details can be found in the briefing as provided by the organisation.

The MHCSA came into being approximately 20 years ago due to community concerns around the treatment of ethnic minority groups in the mental health system.

The MHCSA provides advocacy services which includes helping people to understand the medical terms and other terminology used by professionals e.g. what medical intervention is.

Noted that a carer in attendance felt that the MHCSA was a ‘lifeline’ when trying to navigate through the mental health services – ‘bogged down in syrup’.

Concern raised by carer that valuable services would be forgotten with all of the current transformation changes.  Carers would like to see a commitment from Councillors that the services which they rely on will continue to exist.

MHCSA is funded by NHS Haringey and Haringey Council, with other funding they bid for when possible e.g. Kings Fund.

Discussion around current funding being granted on a six monthly basis and the implications of this around planning of services and staff employment.  Issues were acknowledged by the Head of Commissioning, Barbara Nicholls, who also stated that organisations should now have their funding confirmed until March 2011.  Noted that there was ABG reviews undertaken in the summer and that funding for organisations is tied in with the corporate budget process.

Barbara will include a briefing on Area Based Grant funding in the Adults presentation later in the review.

Counselling sessions
MHCSA provides six free counselling sessions for those who need it.

Discussion around whether six sessions is enough, noted that funding constraints prevent more from being given.

Assessment process – referral arises from discussion with the person who may need counselling, an agreement of this is made between the organisation and the person, they are then referred for counselling.  If it is felt that more counselling would be beneficial then the person can be referred on.

Overall felt that six weeks can be a good lead in to further counselling.

Noted that carers feel that the support groups at MHCSA are very important as there is a common understanding of what each other is going through – comment that “it feels like home” as people are comfortable with talking with each other and are able to advise and support each other as well as the cared for person.

Discussion around the need for clear communication channels between services and carers particularly when services are reconfigured.  Carers needs should also be considered e.g. if Mental Health beds are moved this has an implication on the carer being able to visit.  For example, the Edgware Community Hospital is 1 ½ hrs on public transport from Wood Green.

Noted that changes also create a lot of anxiety for both the carer and the cared for person.

Implications around continuity of care.

Concerns raised about quality of care when people are treated at home and the impact on the carers for example – the carer feel an increased sense of responsibility and burden when the cared for person is treated in the home as opposed to in hospital.  This has increased with recent closures of mental health wards.

How much support do carers get in these situations?

Examples given of issues which carers have come across e.g. when someone was meant to come twice a day to give medication to a mental health service user but only came once a day.