Equality Impact Assessment - Mental Health Social Care Commissioning Strategy 2008 to 2013

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The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

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Function being assessed:

Mental Health Social Care Commissioning Strategy 2008 to 2013

This is supported by other strategic plans:-

Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy 2008 - 2013
Promoting Independence & Wellbeing Strategy 2008 – 2011.
The Carers Strategy 2008 – 2013.

It will feed into the development of:-

- the development of a Joint Mental Health Strategy to be led by

Kingston PCT in 2008/09

- the development of a Drugs Strategy led by the Kingston Strategic

Partnership for Alcohol and Drugs in 2008/09.

Is this a new function or a review of an existing function?

This is developed in advance of a Joint Mental Health Strategy which will be developed for 2009 and incorporate the Mental Health Social Care Commissioning Strategy.

It builds on the current Kingston Mental Health Strategic Framework.

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

The aim of the Strategy is to identify the key outcomes for Social Care Services for adults of working age with mental health problems.

Priorities have been developed in consultation with the Kingston LIT, including representatives of the voluntary sector, users and carers.

It will inform the development of a Joint Strategy for mental Health which will set out how the RBK and its partners in the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors who provide health and social care, will work together to ensure that adults of working age with mental health needs are supported to promote their independence, choice and well being.

What information has been gathered on this function? (Indicate the type of information gathered e.g. statistics, consultation, other monitoring information)? Attach a summary or refer to where the evidence can be found.

Specific needs and priorities have been identified in the Strategy.

A comprehensive needs assessment has been undertaken, including needs analysis, population data, prevalence of illness and inequalities. This is on pages 11-13 of the Strategy.

Consultation has been undertaken with and through the Kingston LIT (Local Implementation Team for the NSF)

Does your analysis of the information show different outcomes for different groups (higher or lower uptake/failure to access/receive a poorer or inferior service)? If yes, indicate which groups and which aspects of the policy or function contribute to inequality?

The strategy has considered outcomes for different groups and has outlined plans to reduce inequalities identified.

It has taken into account information that has been presented to the SWLSTG Trust’s Kingston Race and Equality Group (for mental health services) and information from consultations. This includes data on the ethnicity of mental health service users in each team.

This data has assisted to consider whether services are delivered in a fair and equitable way and whether there are any issues for certain groups accessing mental health services or points of discrimination.

There were some areas of concern set out in the Strategy including:

the large Korean population in Kingston are not accessing mental health services.
there is still stigma, fear and prejudice that impacts on people’s ability to relate to people with mental health problems and contributes to then feeling excluded from society.

The section in the Mental Health Social Care Commissioning Strategy which considers the social care outcome “Freedom from Discrimination and Harassment”. This is on pages 20 to 21 of the Strategy.

Are these differences justified (e.g. are there legislative or other constraints)? If they are, explain in what way.

Differences that have been identified have been addressed in the body of the Strategy and action plan.

There will be differences as services are delivered based on a person’s individual needs. With a move towards the personalisation of social care, it is more possible to set up individual support and services tailored to, for example, specific cultural needs, through Direct Payments. This gives the person more control to access the most appropriate support or service for them.

Access to services by ethnic group, gender and age will continue to be monitored to ensure there are no unjustified differences.

What action needs to taken as a result of this Equality and Health Impact Assessment to address any detrimental impacts of meet previously unidentified need? Include here any reasonable adjustments for access by disabled people. Include dates by which action will be taken. Attach an action plan if necessary.

The action plan incorporates actions to address identified need.

In addition, a programme of work will be directed through the Kingston Race and Equality Group to increase the cultural and religious appropriateness of the services and support provided and to increase the role of Direct Payments in delivering a tailored service to meet needs

The work of the Korean Service User Group will continue, including the recruitment of more Korean Volunteers within the mental health service.

Whilst we collect information on gender, age, ethnicity, disability and religious beliefs, there is currently no mechanism to monitor sexual orientation. There is some evidence there is a link between homophobic attitudes and discrimination and mental health needs. The annual psychiatric inpatient ward census does collate information on sexual orientation on inpatient wards at one point in time, but this is a sensitive issue and sometimes people are reluctant to state their sexual orientation. Steps need to be taken across the Council to address this for people receiving social care services and mental health services will look to progress this and to address the needs of lesbians and gay men. Another priority area is the development of gender-sensitive services

The Group will also undertake audits to ensure that information is provided in accessible forms.

It will also ensure that DDA Assessments are undertaken to ensure that disabled people have appropriate access to services.

Mental Health Awareness training is being provided by users and carers targeted at groups and agencies outside the mental health area to break down the prejudice and ignorance and fear that form the basis of exclusion and increase people’s coherence in relating to people with Mental Health problems.

When will you evaluate the impact of action taken? Give review dates.

A review of the Implementation of the MH Social Care Commissioning Strategy will be undertaken on a 6 monthly basis and reported to the Kingston LIT until a Joint Strategy is agreed which will supersede this.

An annual plan of race and equality objectives will be agreed and monitored quarterly through the Kingston Race and Equality Group (for mental health). This will also be reported to the Kingston LIT. It will include consideration of how individual team/ward objectives improve outcomes for all residents in Kingston.

Review date 30-03-09

Assessment completed by:

Vicky Boswell

MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SERVICES

30 March 2008

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