Decision details

Strategy for Services for Older People with Mental Health Needs 2009 and Beyond

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Awaiting Implementation

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

The Director of Adult Social Services submitted and provided a brief overview of the ‘Wirral Older Peoples Mental Health Strategy 2009 and Beyond’, which was a joint document across NHS Wirral and Wirral Department of Adult Social Services. It was the culmination of a number of strands of work undertaken over the past year, which included the development of a local ‘gold standard’ pathway for dementia; participation in the Care Services Efficiency Delivery Unit (DH) pilot project on Dementia’ which built on the local work previously undertaken; and benchmarking of the local strategy against the National Dementia Strategy.

 

He set out the key issues that had arisen from the completion of the Strategy and commented that whilst the overall strategy encompassed older people with a range of mental health needs, the inevitable focus was on those with dementia and their carers. The Dementia UK Report (2007) indicated that the numbers of people in Wirral over 65 with dementia was 4,924 and was estimated to increase by 28% by 2020. The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Inclusion commented that there was a real imperative to develop a range of services for that particular group.

 

In response to a comment from the Leader of the Conservative Group with regard to there being little reference in the Strategy to depression, the Director accepted it being a serious mental health issue. However, there was a specific and identified need to develop services specifically in relation to dementia. He outlined a number of key recommendations that had emerged in relation to meeting needs within the context of an overall pathway of care and he indicated that the Strategy had been fully supported and approved by the Local Implementation Team, the Older Peoples Joint Commissioning Group, the Professional Executive Committee, NHS Wirral and Department of Adult Social Services Strategic Leadership Team.

 

Resolved – That the Strategy for Services for Older People with Mental Health Needs 2009 and Beyond, be approved.

Report author: Director of Adult Social Services

Publication date: 23/10/2009

Date of decision: 15/10/2009

Decided at meeting: 15/10/2009 - Cabinet

Effective from: 31/10/2009

Accompanying Documents: