Recommendation 1
Ensure mental health and suicide prevention remain a priority for strategic partners across Torbay.
We did
Torbay Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Alliance has maintained the focus on mental health with partners through the year. The Alliance agreed a set of strategic objectives which were adopted by the Health and Wellbeing Board as priority areas for the new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-26. Progress on delivery is reported to the Health and Wellbeing Board on a 6 monthly basis. South Devon Local Care Partnership has also agreed mental health/suicide prevention as a priority area for strategic partners across Torbay and South Devon.
Recommendation 2
Drive continuous improvement in Children and Young People’s mental health outcomes through partnership with families and communities.
We did
Collaborated with South West Family Values, Checkpoint and Young Devon to establish a young person’s Wellbeing Service. This includes cognitive behaviour therapy sessions for young persons and their families to help manage mild-moderate anxiety and low mood. Many referrals have been received with a waiting list in place due to demand. The long-term sustainability of this service is being considered at ICS level.
Recommendation 3
Implement the Torbay suicide and self-harm prevention plan with the aim of stabilising and reducing rates of suicide and self harm across the Bay.
We did
Actions in the prevention plan are being tackled by a range of local partners, all linked into the Torbay Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Alliance. Progress is reported to the Health and Wellbeing Board and also to the Council Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The plan is updated annually and a refreshed plan was approved in September 2022. This incorporates new actions reflecting the impact of the cost of living challenges on mental health and wellbeing. Suicide rates stabilised over the last year but all partners are very aware of the need to support people to access stable homes, work, education and social connections to maintain their emotional health and wellbeing.
Recommendation 4
Incorporate mental health and wellbeing into the Multiple Complex Needs Alliance from 2022.
We did
The procurement for services to join a Multiple Complex Needs (MCN) Alliance has been successfully completed. Work has been happening since May for these services to develop and agree the most effective delivery model that will meet people’s needs in an integrated way prior to this new provision going live in February 2023. Commissioning through an Alliance Framework provides a more responsive way to structuring and delivering services for people who experience substance misuse problems, homelessness and domestic abuse so that the support they receive is not only aware of, but also responsive to, people’s needs, wishes and aspirations.
Work has been progressing to best integrate mental health support into the Alliance as part of the mobilisation process.
Recommendation 5
Support the creation of mental health promoting communities through community development, training, safe spaces and peer support.
We did
We have awarded £60,000 in funding to twenty-five local CVSE organisations for creative suicide prevention activity. Examples of activity have included: awareness and suicide prevention training for parents of children and young people with special educational needs, one-to-one and group mentoring of secondary school pupils struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing and running peer-support and wellbeing-based workshops.
Mental health awareness training is being offered to those hosting ‘warm welcoming spaces’, maximising opportunities to promote conversations about mental health and wellbeing and to provide safe spaces for people to access support, or simply a listening ear.
Recommendation 6
Promote and support workplace wellbeing in all sectors across Torbay.
We did
A mapping exercise has been completed as part of our ‘Wellbeing Guardian’ rollout, including a section on mental health and wellbeing. Assurance has been provided against national standards alongside identification of gaps. Initial conversations have been held with commercial sector partners.
Recommendation 7
Promote approaches which tackle physical and mental wellbeing together especially physical activity and green spaces to improve wider health and wellbeing.
We did
Active Devon is working with the Healthy Ageing partnerships on promoting physical and mental wellbeing together which includes work with care homes.
Delivery of our Connecting Actively to Nature Programme (activity programme for 55+yrs linking activity and the natural environment) has continued and funding secured for Year 5 delivery.
The Torbay Wellbeing Engagement Project focused on supporting people through a range of activities to strengthen social, physical and mental resilience.