Member Questions: Response to Cllr Grimshaw’s Question

The following response to Cllr Grimshaw’s member question has been jointly provided by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton & Hove City Council and Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups.

HOSC will be aware that in early October 2021 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust received an open complaint letter from mASCot. mASCot is a parent led peer support network for families who have a child/young person with autism or neuro-diverse related conditions. The letter was sent to the Chief Executives of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton & Hove City Council and the Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups. It was also sent to the Executive Director of Children's Services at Brighton & Hove City Council.

Following receipt of the complaint representatives from all three organisations met with mASCot on the 29^th October 2021. This meeting was attended by Sussex Partnership's Chief Delivery Officer, the City Council's Assistant Director for Health, SEN and Disability from Children's Services and the East Sussex CCG's Executive Managing Director and Sussex NHS Commissioners’ Executive Lead for mental health. It was confirmed with mASCot they will receive a single, formal written response combining responses from all three organisations. As the committee will observe the complaint referenced the Council's 2014 Autism Strategy report and requested an update on the progress made on the recommendations within the report. It has been agreed with mASCot that a review of the recommendations and the associated progress will be completed jointly with members of mASCot- this is being led by the City Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group and the outcome will be included within the complaint response.

Additionally it has been agreed with mASCot that once the formal complaint response has been completed a further meeting will be convened between mASCot and the Trust, the Council and CCG to discuss the response and agree how all three organisations can work more closely together in the future to improve services to children, young people and their families within the City. This response is on behalf of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton & Hove City Council and Sussex CCGs.