Agenda item

·         Eve Byers, User Voice Project Lead, Inclusion Barnet

Ms Byers introduced four services users who gave an account of their experiences of mental health services in Barnet.

Speaker A is a facilitator of the Barnet Voice Support Group. He commented that the support group had encountered problems due to funding struggles and it closed down during lockdown. Previously it was open for two hours a week, and helped to reduce loneliness for people, and gave them a focus such as art classes. Up to 40 people attended every week and these people now have nowhere else to go for support. During lockdown there were some online meetings, but many without internet were left alone.

Speaker A noted that he joined Barnet Voice in 2017 and he had noticed several other services open and then be closed down after a couple of years. The services give hope to people so it is doubly disappointing when they close and this pattern had been happening for many years.

Speaker B introduced herself. She is a service user of the Meritage Centre and volunteer with BOOST. The Meritage Centre is useful for teaching computer skills and helping people return to work. Also the Better Together Café was started there and had continued online during lockdown and then reopened after the pandemic. They also hold Tai Chi classes once a week and April noted that she had gained a lot from attending the Meritage Centre and felt strongly that it should continue.

Speaker C introduced herself. She is also a volunteer at the Meritage Centre, and had joined in 2012 with the ‘Mind and Mood’ Group, who had put her in touch with Barnet Voice. She had joined this and then been disappointed soon after as it had closed. Inclusion Barnet had promised that Barnet Voice would continue, but it hadn’t, and a lot of people with special needs had lost out. If a group could be set up for them to attend weekly, that would be helpful. She added that it enabled people to laugh and be themselves. Speaker C said that she felt strongly that funding should be available for this type of support.

Speaker D introduced himself as an attendee at the Meritage Centre and a user of mental health services for three decades. He noted that mental health services in the UK are archaic and flawed; it is a chronic condition that can only be properly maintained if services are available. Peer support is one way of providing this as it is semi-autonomous and empowers people. The fact some services have gone is costing lives, and there is a huge untapped resource in peer support, which is being ignored. Speaker D added that the support provided by the Meritage Centre is effective and he has seen a change in some people attending, mainly men.

Another speaker attended to represent her family. She reported that she has had 27 years of problems accessing services for her son, and noted that there is little connectivity across mental health services and she experienced repeatedly being prevented from accessing services. The health service works in silos making it more difficult for people on the outside. She added that she hadn’t known that legally Barnet Council was responsible for her son’s care until he reached age 26. By not empowering families funding is being wasted as health issues go unaddressed, which costs more. She said there is an astonishing level of discrimination. In addition she said that the police are untrained to deal with the issues and sometimes turn matters into criminal issues. Paramedics had asked her about a care plan but she said she was never given one for her son. Without a diagnosis this is very difficult.

A Member enquired where the funding had previously come from. A speaker noted that it was from Barnet Voice which also had some donations. Ms Wakeling noted that it was provided by Adult Social Care at LBB, which had funded a number of groups that represent the voice of people who use its support services. This became Inclusion Barnet, which was set up to facilitate and represent the voice of people who use care and support services in Barnet. Also LBB provides infrastructure support to local groups about fundraising.

A Member noted that the Barnet web pages are not up to date if the monthly meetings no longer happen.

Cllr Stock declared an interest by virtue of the fact that one of her close relatives works in a local Crisis Team.

A Member noted that funding is not the only issue; as the users had pointed out mental health services relied too much on theory and fell short of understanding patients’ experience. Patients not fitting certain criteria appeared to be offered little help.

The Chairman reported that the speakers would be sent a copy of their verbal report and this could be circulated to service providers who could hopefully take the comments on board. He added that unfortunately the Committee could not make promises regarding funding but the issue about user groups needed to have regular meetings could be taken back to the council to look at possible options.

Ms Wakeling suggested that the information be passed on to Barry Day, Managing Director, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey (BEH) Mental Health Trust, and Natalie Fox, Deputy CEO of the BEH Mental Health Trust. Dr Djuretic noted that she would take back the comments about funding for community groups also.

Action: Dr Djuretic, Governance Officer

A Member asked whether officers could be asked to attend the HOSC to report solutions. The Chairman noted that these are deep-rooted issues that extend beyond Barnet but the messages would be passed on.

A Member noted that clear information should be available to the public on the structures around services so that they know how to access them. He requested that officers be invited to provide some information on this. The Chairman noted that in the first instance he would seek a response from officers.

A Member asked whether residents to suggest forming groups for themselves. Ms Wakeling responded that the Mental Health Trust is implementing a wide-ranging community transformation programme. This could be added to the HOSC Forward Plan. Access and waiting times would be reviewed as part of the programme. The Mental Health Trust is employing peer support workers, including people from the voluntary and community sector to try to increase community-based local projects.

A Member enquired about ‘Andy’s Man Club’ which is in operation in Barnet. Dr Djuretic responded that this is held in the Meritage Centre once a week and is commissioned by Barnet Public Health. This provides a platform for people to talk to scrutiny, providing mechanisms to feed back concerns to senior people in the NHS.