Short Life Working Group for Mental Health in Primary Care: report

Annex A - Mental Health in Primary Care Short Life Working Group

Terms of Reference and Membership

1. Background

Approximately 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem at some point in their lifetime and at any one time approximately 1 in 6 people have a mental health problem. Early evidence suggests mental health problems will increase following the Covid pandemic with a disproportionate effect on younger people, women and that a widening of already existing inequalities is likely.

The vast majority of mental health and wellbeing issues can be managed appropriately in the community with self-management, community assets, third sector, primary, community care and specialist mental health services all having a part to play. This can only happen if there is capacity across all parts of the system to support management of problems in a timely way

Approximately 1/3 of GP consultations have a mental health component and this constitutes a significant workload within practice settings. While some people need to access secondary care mental health services, many do not and the limited capacity of specialist services can lead to limits on access through waiting times and rejected referrals.

The Short Life Working Group (SLWG) will set out to describe what an improved range of options in the Primary and Community care settings might look like and how these could be achieved

2. Purpose

These guidelines are intended to provide clarity and direction to the activities of the SLWG. They can be revised and amended as necessary once the work is underway.

The overall purpose of the SLWG is to improve outcomes for people with mental health problems and distress within the Primary and Community Care setting.

The expectation is that the final document will be issued within four meetings.

3. Working Group

Remit

The SLWG will provide a vision of how mental health care could be delivered better in Primary Care and in localities.

The SLWG will review the models currently in place, identify commonalities/success factors and produce a report with actions, suggesting how these models could be implemented by health and care systems across Scotland.

Membership

Andrew Cowie
SGPC
acowie@nhs.net

Carey Lunan
RCGP
carey.lunan@rcgp.org.uk

Laura Hudson
RCPS
laura.hudson@rcpsych.ac.uk

Theresa Fyffe
RCN
theresa.fyffe@rcn.org.uk

Linda Findlay
RCPS
linda.Findlay@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Alastair Cook
Scottish Government
alastair.cook@gov.scot

Amy Dalrymple
RCN
Amy.Dalrymple@rcn.org.uk

Katriona Paterson
NHS Lothian
Katriona.Paterson@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Grecy Bell
NHS
g.bell@nhs.net

Jan Beattie
Scottish Government
Jan.Beattie@gov.scot

Michael Smith
NHS GG&C
Michael.Smith2@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

Jim Hume
Support in Mind
JHume@supportinmindscotland.org.uk

Judy Thomson
NES
judy.thomson@nes.scot.nhs.uk

Miles Mack
RCGP
Miles.Mack@rcgp.org.uk

Caroline Cochrane
NHS Borders, Representing Heads of Psychology Services
Caroline.Cochrane@borders.scot.nhs.uk

Val de Souza
HSCP
Val.deSouza@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Ross McGuffie
HSCP
Ross.McGuffie@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Katrina Cowie
Scottish Government
Katrina.Cowie@gov.scot

Naureen Ahmad
Scottish Government
Naureen.Ahmad@gov.scot

Gordon Mason
Scottish Government
Gordon.Mason@gov.scot

Siobhan Mackay
Scottish Government
Siobhan.Mackay@gov.scot

Heather Campbell
Scottish Government
Heather.Campbell2@gov.scot

Justin McNicholl
Social Work Scotland
JMcNicholl@clacks.gov.uk

Sian Tucker
NHS Out of Hours
sian.tucker@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Anna Armitage
Scottish Government
Anna.Armitage@gov.scot

Niall Kearney
Scottish Government
Niall.Kearney@gov.scot

Sonia Cottom
Patient Representation
scottom@painassociation.com

Eileen McKenna
RCN
eileen.mckenna@rcn.org.uk

Claire McDermott
Scottish Government
Claire.McDermott@gov.scot

4. Method

• Meeting 1

Discuss consensus statement and invite comments by next meeting.

Discuss evidence paper and strengths/gaps in evidence.

• Between meeting 1&2
  • Shape consensus statement into a vision.
  • Collate additional evidence submitted around models.
  • Skeleton report of output.
  • Brief Ministers and other relevant stakeholders.
• Meeting 2
  • Discuss and if possible agree vision.
  • Discussion of evidence and describe an agreed model or models.
• Between 2 & 3
  • Adjust vision.
  • First draft of a report with vision, what works and initial estimates of workforce/resource requirements.
• Meeting 3
  • Discussion of first draft report.
  • Discussion about implementation and how that might be managed.
• Between 3&4
  • Redraft of report to reflect group inputs.
  • Draft implementation plan.
• Meeting 4
  • Final report signs off.
  • Discuss implementation plan and agree any next steps.
  • Sign off the work of the group and hand over to those tasked with implementation.

5. Timescale

The SLWG will meet monthly or as necessary and agreed by the membership. The first meeting of the group will be Thursday 24^th September 2020.

6. Communications

The Scottish Government will co-ordinate communications. There will be a formal minute recorded of each meeting which will be circulated to the members of the group. In this regard, progress updates on the activities of the Working Group will be translated into lines for communication and cleared by Scottish Government and issued to stakeholders for further dissemination.

Public Mental Health and Primary Care

Scottish Government

10 September 2020