Experts behind a radical new mental health plan in Suffolk have said a widespread culture change is needed, and urged all health bosses to get behind the proposals.
Clinical commissioning groups outlined a fresh 10-year mental health and emotional wellbeing strategy during Thursday’s health and Wellbeing Board to health chiefs across the county.
During Thursday’s board meeting, health bosses issued a rallying call for all health organisations to back the plan.
Addressing the meeting, Peter Devlin from Suffolk County Council’s adult community services team, said: “What we are trying to do is to ensure that we enlist the support of everyone because we see this strategy and the focus it brings as a way to drive cultural change in terms of our understanding of meeting the needs of people experiencing emotional and mental health needs.
“We are asking you as leaders to gather around and support this strategy.
“We need to move away from some of the traditional organisational boundaries that have got in the way.”
One of the key proposals is to create a new option for NHS 111 services which would be the point of contact for mental health, and, crucially, would enlist trained mental health crisis staff to help support people, be it an outreach team or signposting to voluntary organisations.
Mr Devlin added: “We need to normalise mental health – we need to be brave enough and courageous enough to enter into conversations with people when they are opening up about mental health.”
Eugene Stanton, associate director of redesign, planning and delivery at Suffolk CCGs, said: “What this has meant is we have got to be true to that [vision] going forward so that they [patients, staff, families and health professionals] are at the centre of all of our conversations.”
He added: “Mental health is not just about mental health services, it needs to be everyone’s business.”
The plan follows concerns over the county’s main mental health provider, NSFT, which has been placed in special measures for a third time by the Care Quality Commission.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here