More than 70 individuals from 27 NHS, local authorities, education, police, voluntary and community organisations across Lancashire and South Cumbria have been working together with parents, carers and young people, to redesign and improve emotional health and wellbeing services for children and adolescents aged 0-19, in a programme known as THRIVE.
The Care Partnership is made up of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust – these organisations have been working together with partners from across the system to develop sustainable and standardised care and support for young people and their families.
Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust are a provider of high performing mental health services and have recently supported the region to review urgent mental health pathways for adults – they are supporting the Care Partnership and facilitating design workshops to develop a THRIVE-based model of care which will ensure that services in the future are integrated and person-centred. At the same time, a detailed review of current service delivery across the partnership is being carried out, to identify opportunities to improve.
Evidence has shown that THRIVE–based care models reduce waiting times and improve experience and effectiveness of care. The development of a THRIVE-based model will ensure that young people receive consistent levels of care wherever they live in Lancashire and South Cumbria, and can access services in the right place and at the right time to meet their individual needs.
A partnership of local Healthwatch in Blackpool, Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Cumbria has been supporting the involvement of young people, parents and carers in this service transformation, with 68 individuals being involved in the design process, either by attending sessions or by providing regular feedback through online Facebook groups.
Jade, 18, has shared her personal experiences of services with professionals, co-producing the way forward at depth. In the latest workshop, she said: “Everyone just needs to work together for us – teamwork makes the dream work!”
Rachel Snow-Miller, Director of Commissioning – All Age Mental Health and Learning Disability Services for Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System, said:
“The THRIVE programme is redesigning emotional health and wellbeing services for children and adolescents and is a great example of partners across a range of sectors coming together to work in partnership to tackle one of our most challenging areas of health in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
“The insight and work coming out of the design workshops is extremely encouraging. We are grateful to the young people and their parents and carers who have given their time to share their experiences of using services and to contribute to the workshops. Their open and honest input has helped to identify how we need to work differently to improve CAMHS. These contributions are helping to make sure we develop future services that will make sure young people receive the levels of care they need wherever they live in Lancashire and South Cumbria.”
To find out more about redesigning CAMHS services visit https://www.healthyyoungmindslsc.co.uk/camhs-redesign
