Equality Impact Assessment

Name of the proposal : Review of Adult Mental Health integrated working arrangements - MH Futures Project

Department : Adult Services

Name of lead officer : Louise Snook

Publication date: 19/11/2012

Review date: 28/02/2013

Departmental Manager Approval by : Ruth Dixon

Departmental Manager Approval date : 19/11/2012

 

 

Main purpose and aims of the policy, plan or project

The Section 75 (S75) agreement between Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (SHFT) and Hampshire County Council's Adult Services department (AS) to provide an integrated Mental Health (MH) service, has been extended for 1 year and will now expire on 31 March 2013. In the North East of Hampshire, AS provide a MH service in partnership with Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SaBPFT). With the forthcoming expiry of the S75 agreement between AS & SHFT and the need to develop the delivery of Social Care priorities within the MH service as a whole, a review of how AS deliver MH services across the whole catchment area is to be undertaken.

The aim of this work is in the first instance to put emphasis on strengthening the Social Care priorities across AS MH services. This will include upating the S75 agreement with SHFT and the development of a new S75 agreement with SaBPFT.

In the second instance the aim is to develop a strategic vision for the future working arrangements in partnership with both SHFT, SaBPFT and Commissioning partners.

The final part of the project will be to implement the future vision by implementing updated process and systems, as appropriate, across the MH teams working in partnership with AS.

Main elements of the policy, plan or project

The project will run in phases:

Phase 1:

Analysis of existing governance structures, roles and responsibilities of staff, funding arrangements between HCC and SHFT & HCC and SaBPFT.

Development of decision making principles known as Fixed Points.

Develoment of outcomes that will be used to inform the work to help strengthen the delivery of Social Care priorities. A new performance dashboard is being developed to ensure that Social Care priorities can be more effectively monitored.

Review and update the S75 agreement with SHFT, develop a new S75 agreement with SaBPFT.

Develop a vision for the future of MH services in partnership with SHFT, SaBPFT and Commissioners.

Plan communications with Staff and other stakeholders.

Phase 2:

Based on the future vision developed in phase 1 prepare options for future working arrangements. Consider piloting one of the option to test effectiveness.

Continued reporting on Social Care priorities.

Engagement with all stakeholders

Phase 3:

Implementation of agreed option for future working across all MH teams working with AS in Hampshire.

Detailed Assessment

Age: Impact : No Impact
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Disability: Impact : Low
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Faith: Impact : No Impact
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Gender: Impact : Low
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Transgender: Impact : No Impact
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Race: Impact : No Impact
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Sexual Orientation: Impact : No Impact
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Marriage / civil partnership: Impact : No Impact
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Pregnancy & maternity: Impact : No Impact
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Other factors: Impact : Low
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Details of why some groups are low and/or no impact

While the project is in progress there will be a need to include all staff who work within the MH teams that are run in partnership between AS & SHFT and AS & SaBPFT, in the consultation work, staff will be included based on their specialist knowledge of this area.

Service users who may become involved as part of the consultation and engagement process will be chosen as they are MH service users and may be impacted by this project work. Some of these service users may have other disabilities and also receive services from other AS teams.

It is expected there could be a higher proportion of female staff represented within these groups are there is a higher ratio of female to male staff working within MH services.

Staff from SHFT and SaBPFT will be asked to take part in the consultation work, however, the project is AS lead and is concentrating on the delivery of the Social Care priorities so it is expected that a higher % of staff employed by AS will be involved.

Conclusion

The MH Futures project's aim is to strengthen the current working arrangements that will deliver the vision for the future of MH services across the whole of Hampshire County Council's Adult Services jurisdiction, to provide a sustainable and improved service for service users and their carers. The project will include staff, who have specialist knowledge in MH, in the review process and feedback will be used to develop the options. Engagement with service users and other stakeholders will be focused on those that may be impacted by any changes to the MH service that results from this project.

As the project work continues and the future working arrangements are developed further this EIA will be reviewed and any further impacts will be explored.

 

For more information please visit the Hampshire County Council Equality & Diversity web page.