That £300,000 non-recurring funds from the 2023/24 Adult Social Care precept be used to procure Mental Health Peer Support.

To implement the recommendations of the co-design work undertaken with people who have lived experience of mental health challenges.

These proposals are a result of co-production with people with lived experience, all alternatives were considered as part of the development.

This decision will be implemented immediately.

During 2023 work was undertaken to co-design a service with people who have lived experience of mental health challenges.  Several face-to-face forums took place at which views were captured about practical interventions that would support people to stay well in the community.  A detailed report of the fieldwork, findings, and recommendations was made available in 2023.  The recommendations were, fundamentally, to increase the provision of Peer Support available to people with mental health issues.

The findings and recommendations of the report were fully considered by a mental health working group chaired by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, this group included people with lived experience, and representatives from the Community and Voluntary Sector, Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Torbay Council Public Health and Adult Social Care Commissioning colleagues.           

The proposals sought to procure a peer support service in locations across the three towns in Torbay. Non-recurrent funds of £300,000 were committed from the 23/4 Adult Social Care precept to cover this. During the lifetime of the funded services, providers were expected to undertake a sustainability plan – involving seeking match funding from sources external to the Council.

None.