Suffolk’s five-year transformation plan sets out how it will improve children and young people’s (0-25) emotional wellbeing and mental health by transforming services, changing the landscape in which services operate and upskilling the workforce. The plan was developed in collaboration with NHS Ipswich & East Suffolk CCG, West Suffolk CCG, Suffolk County Council, young people, families, health and care organisations, charities, and schools and is based on Five Big Ideas and Ten Priorities which we are working together to deliver.
The overall aim is to establish an integrated, family-focused response to the needs of young people in east and west Suffolk with emotional, behavioural and mental health needs.
These are currently the main areas of work:
- Access to help
The vision for our new multi-agency Emotional Wellbeing hub is that no child, young person or their family will be turned away without being offered appropriate help, information or advice. The key principles for the hub are self-referral, whole family focused, no wrong door, importance of initial/first contact experience, early intervention and reducing bounce around the system. Young people will be supported to access the services they need.
The Suffolk-focused website for young people, the Source, has been refreshed to provide clinically assured information, advice, guidance and resources for young people to help them with issues that matter to them, including anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders.
- Workforce Development
As part of this plan, funded learning and development is now available to enable staff and families to have greater confidence and skills in responding to issues relating to emotional wellbeing and mental health. Training, including Mental Health First Aid can be accessed via www.suffolkcpd.co.uk using the Multi-Agency icon on the home page.
- Crisis response
The Crisis work stream has reviewed the provision we have in place in County to inform the development of a proposal for a new pilot response service for under 18s. The work stream is using best practice from vanguards and within the region with a focus on providing an improved crisis response in the community and working with both Ipswich Hospital and West Suffolk Hospital.
- Eating Disorders
A new eating disorder service for east and west Suffolk has been commissioned with Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and provides dedicated, bespoke care to people aged up to 18 with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder in line with NHS England guidance.
We have also commissioned Beating Eating Disorders (BEAT), the eating disorders charity, to provide training and education to help Trust staff and primary care colleagues recognise the symptoms so that people can get help at the earliest opportunity.
- Voluntary and Community Organisations
Working with Suffolk Community Foundation to administer a second wave of grants available for local projects that will support the Transformation Plan priorities.
To get involved email: EWB2020@suffolk.gov.uk
