Scottish MCN for Children with

Complex Mental Health Needs

Annual Report

2007-2008

Contents:

1 / Executive Summary / Page 3
2 / Introduction / Page 5
3 / The Network / Page 7
4 / Aims & Objectives 2007-8 / Page 8
5 / Steering Group / Page 10
6 / Practice Exchange Group / Page 11
7 / Service User Participation Group / Page 12
8 / The Future / Page 13
9 / Appendices / Page 14

1. Executive Summary

The Scottish MCN for Children with Complex Mental Health Needs was launched in August 2007. The network currently consists of a steering group, the Practice Exchange Planning sub group and the Service User Participation sub group.

Aims 2007-2008

The MCN aims for 2007-2008 were:

  • Determine a work plan for the MCN for 2008/2009
  • Establish and organise a first meeting of a Service User Participation sub group to identify a suitable action plan for the Network in relation to this issue
  • Establish a Practice Exchange Planning group to provide a case discussion and peer-support / education resource within the Network
  • Organise a meeting of the MCN Steering Group to take place every 6 months, with a formal agenda and focused goals
  • Undertake phase 1 of a service mapping exercise in support of work already done and using information already gathered

Steering Group

In the last year the steering group:

  • Has met twice as a Network at the Lovat Hotel, Perth
  • Adopted a Network logo

The steering group will evolve to become a working steering group by September 2008 which will be chaired by Sally Kuenssberg.

Practice Exchange Planning Group

In the last year the Practice Exchange Planning Group has planned the pilot Practice Exchange meetings and as part of this has developed:

  • List of themes for Practice Exchange
  • Ground rules for Practice Exchange
  • Evaluation form
  • Pilot Invitation

The group also planned the first four Practice Exchange’s which will be:

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorders (pilot)
  • Broader Communication Between Services
  • Eating Disorders in Children
  • ADHD: Non Pharmaceutical Interventions/Service

The group is also currently developing a Data Capturing form.

Service User Participation Group

In the last year this group has:

  • Worked on planning its first event due to be held later in 2008. This event will focus on giving front line CAMHS staff practical tools for communicating with children, their families and carers, enabling them to become better involved in their services.
  • Explored the production of Standards for Service User Participation for children’s mental health services

The Future

During 2007-2008 the Network did meet its objectives and has developed a wider range of aims for the coming years:

  • Communications Strategy
  • Service User Participation
  • Practice Exchange development
  • Benchmarking and Definition
  • Evaluation of Network
  • Information Technology

2. Introduction

This paper has been prepared for the annual review meeting between National Services Division (NSD) and the Scottish MCN for Children with Complex Mental Health Needs. The report details the performance of the MCN from when the Network was launched in August 2007 to the end of financial year in March 2008.

Managed Clinical Networks

In 2002 the Scottish Executive issued NHS HDL (2002) 69 “Promoting the Development of Managed Clinical Networks in NHS Scotland” to confirm their commitment to the development of MCNs. MCNs are defined in the HDL as:

Linked groups of health professionals and organisations from primary, secondary and tertiary care, working in a co-ordinated manner, unconstrained by existing professional and health Board boundaries, to ensure equitable provision of high quality clinically effective services throughout Scotland.

This was reiterated in the HDL (2007) 21 “Strengthening the Role of Managed Clinical Networks”. The core principles of MCNs were also re-stated in this HDL.

The Scottish MCN for Children with Complex Mental Health Needs

The Scottish Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for Children with Complex Mental Health Needs ( CAHMS) consists of a group of health professionals and other relevant people who have an interest in the care of children who have a range of complex and severe mental health needs. The MCN works towards improving the services for this group of children and their families all over Scotland. The MCN formed in summer 2007 and since this time has defined roles; established two sub groups and; had two steering group meetings where information has been shared. The MCN makes full use of teleconferencing facilities so that sites across Scotland can be involved with the Network. To promote information sharing about all aspects of complex mental health needs in children across Scotland, the MCN has established Network newsletters and is developing a website.

The MCN has two sub groups; the Practice Exchange Planning Group and the Service User Participation Group.

The Practice Exchange Planning Group works on a range of tasks in order to facilitate the improvement of services. One of these tasks is to organise and participate in case discussions, whereby a group of different professionals come together to talk about a particular case to try and shed some light on it. The Practice Exchange Planning group will also review existing guidelines and map, define and record what services are available for this group of children across Scotland as part of a service mapping and benchmarking exercise.

The Service User Participation sub group

. This sub group will explore ways to: obtain the views of children and families; find out what children and families want from services and; find out how children and families would like to be involved with the MCN. The working group hope that by finding out the above information, children and their families will be able to directly influence how services are delivered. In addition the group will explore how to ensure clinicians are confident in involving users within their day to day practice.

3: The Network

The Scottish MCN for Children with Complex Mental Health Needs is a national paediatric managed clinical network, commissioned by NHS Scotland National Services Division, and operating within functions outlined by the then Scottish Executive and now Scottish Government.

This is the first annual report produced by the Network as it ends its first active year of existence.

The MCN is chaired by Sally Kuenssberg, Non-Executive Director NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and trustee of the Scottish Psychotherapy Trust. Lead Clinician for the Network is Sandra Duke, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in NHS Tayside.

Over the past year, the Network has been managed by Derrick Pearce and Jennifer Bruce, with dedicated administrative support being provided by Jennifer Hogg since October 2007.

The Network has a large Steering Group, which functions along the lines of a Network Meeting, and two subgroups, focusing on Practice Exchange and Service User Participation.

If you require any relevant information or papers produced by the MCN please contact the Network office.

4: Aims and Objectives 2007-2008

  • The Network will determine a work plan for the MCN for 2008/2009

A workplan was devised, although is still in draft format, awaiting the appointment of a permanent Network Manager. The post has been filled, with the appointee due to come into post during June 2008.

The draft workplan is attached as an appendix to this report.

  • The Network will establish and organise a first meeting of a Service User Participation sub group to identify a suitable action plan for the Network in relation to this issue

This subgroup has been established, and held its initial meeting on 6 November 2007, with a further three meetings held after this date. This group has been jointly and alternately chaired by Karen Martin (Action for Sick Children, Scotland) and Kirstie Farmer (Penumbra).

At the time of writing this report, this sub group was actively planning its first specific service user participation event for the Network. This is due to be held later in 2008, focusing on practical methods for front line Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) staff to involve patients, parents and carers in their own service.

  • The Network will establish a Practice Exchange Planning group to provide a case discussion and peer-support / education resource within the Network

The initial meeting of the Practice Exchange Planning sub group was held in November 2007, where Alasdair Hosking (Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, NHS Forth Valley) agreed to become Chair of the group.

There have been several meetings of this sub group, where the pilot Practice Exchange was planned for May 2008.

  • The Network will organise a meeting of the MCN Steering Group to take place every 6 months, with a formal agenda and focused goals

During the period of 2007-2008, the Network Steering Group met twice, in late August 2007 and early February 2008. For both these meetings, formal agendae and reports were produced.

The next meeting of the group is scheduled for September 2008

  • The Network will undertake phase 1 of a service mapping exercise in support of work already done and using information already gathered

This objective is rolling on into the workplan for the coming years, with several options for benchmarking, mapping and reporting being explored by the Network.

5: Steering Group

The MCN met twice as a Network in the past financial year. These meetings were on 31st August 2007 and 1st February 2008 and were both held at The Lovat Hotel in Perth. At Network meetings it was decided to use a relatively central location. Full details of steering group attendees and the work plan objectives can be found in appendices 1 and 4.

This group will evolve to become a working steering group by September 2008 which will be chaired by Sally Kuenssberg.

During 2007, the Network adopted its logo, which was donated by Albi Taylor, one of our Network parent representatives, who is a professional graphic facilitator.

6: Practice Exchange Planning Group

This group was chaired by Alasdair Hosking (Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, NHS Forth Valley).

The group met four times during the financial year to plan Practice Exchange meetings and developed the following:

  • List of themes for Practice Exchange
  • Ground rules for Practice Exchange
  • Evaluation form
  • Pilot Invitation

It is also currently developing a data capture form for service mapping within CAMHS services in NHS Scotland.

The initial pilot Practice Exchange is to be held in May 2008, covering Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The group regularly used teleconferencing in its meetings, and intends to use these in its Practice Exchange meetings to maximise the potential benefits of this type of educational sharing of practice and development.

The group has planned the first four Practice Exchange’s which will be:

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorders
  • Broader Communication Between Services
  • Eating Disorders in Children
  • ADHD: Non Pharmaceutical Interventions/Service

7: Service User Participation Group

This group was jointly chaired by Kirstie Farmer and Karen Martin, both public involvement officers at Penumbra and Action for Sick Children (Scotland) respectively. The Network enjoyed the support of both these organisations in its work, and was grateful to them for their involvement and release of Karen and Kirstie for their membership of the MCN.

The inaugural meeting of the group was in November 2007 and to date the group has progressed well. The group worked on planning its first event, due to be held later in 2008. This event will focus on giving front line CAMHS staff practical tools for communicating with children, their families and carers, enabling them to become better involved in their services.

This group explored the production of Standards for Service User Participation for children’s’ mental health services and also looked at innovative methods of encouraging and supporting their involvement.

8: The Future

The Scottish MCN for Children with Complex Mental Health Needs is a young and ambitious Network.

During 2007-2008 the Network did meet its objectives and developed a wider range of aims for the coming years:

  • Communications Strategy: Set up clear and accessible internal and external communication pathways
  • Service User Participation: Identify ways of establishing service user participation, promote patient involvement within the Network by establishing methods and creating forums through which service users can express their views and influence how services are delivered. Encourage those working with children who have complex mental health needs to involve service users.
  • Practice Exchange: Establish Practice Exchange Planning meetings, holding these on a regular basis whereby a group of multidisciplinary professionals and parent representatives will discuss complex cases. Define what is meant by a ‘complex’ mental health need. Review existing guidelines and establish a ‘library’. Map, define and record what services are available for children with complex mental health needs across Scotland, as part of the Network’s service mapping and benchmarking exercise.
  • Benchmarking and Definition: Collect and evaluate comprehensive data on current CAMHS services
  • Evaluation of Network: Review roles and functions for both individuals and groups involved in the Network to ensure its success
  • Information Technology: The MCN will be working towards a core data set in 08/09. In addition we will also develop a website as a functioning tool available to professionals and the public

This is only an indication of the ambitions of the MCN, which are expanded upon in the workplan.
9. Appendices

1 / Membership
2 / Financial Report
3 / General Information Leaflet
4 / Workplan

Appendix 1: Membership

MCN Chairperson:

Sally Kuenssberg

Non-Executive Director, NHS Greater Glasgow and CLyde

Lead Clinician:

Sandra Duke

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, NHS Tayside

Network Manager:

Jennifer Bruce

MCN Manager, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Network Administrator:

Jennifer Hogg

MCN Administrator, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Steering Group

Alasdair Hosking

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Department of Child and Family Psychiatry (Stirling), NHS Forth Valley

Albi Taylor

Parent Representative and Graphic Facilitator

Alice Scott

Senior Staff Nurse, Dudhope House, NHS Tayside

Ama Addo

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Templeton Business Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde