Issue - items at meetings - Mental Health Accommodation

45.1         Linda Harrington, Commissioner, presented the report on Mental Health accommodation with support.

45.2         The service review gave a number of key findings including the need for 100 extra units of accommodation with support, especially for high complex needs. The review also found huge outliers of costs for 19 current units of accommodation. This funding is to be reallocated to provide 120 units of accommodation.

45.3         SPFT met with each resident to talk about possible changes in providers and in accommodation. Initial feedback is that this seems to have gone well.

45.4         Comments and questions included:

Ø      It is amazing that costs for 19 units of accommodation can be reallocated to provide 120 units. How has this been allowed to happen? Has the NHS being paying too much for those units?

The original contract was set up using an old approach to commissioning where block contracts were set up. It was harder to analyse where the money was going in those cases but this has now changed. The units provide high level of complex support for residents and therefore unit costs would be expected to be higher than for average need. However commissioners believe that by market testing the service through a procurement process the service can be provided at a lower cost.

Ø      It is interesting that there was a high level of interest from potential accommodation providers, how was this achieved?

A lot of work went in prior to the contract being advertised to raise awareness; this was very positive.

Ø      What support is given to people who receive ‘floating support’?

Floating Support provides day to day support to people living in independent accommodation (owner occupiers, council, housing association and private sector tenants) with the aim of enabling individuals to live independently in the community.   SPFT staff have been seconded to the Housing Options Team, working closely with different teams in the council to help support the tenants and their neighbours. The support element is to help people move through different tiers of accommodation support, to move on where appropriate with floating support as needed. You need space in all tiers of accommodation to help move people on to appropriate types of housing.

Proactive work is undertaken through tenancy support services to address problems before they escalate.

Ø      Who will have access to the 100 new units of accommodation?

They will be for Brighton and Hove residents who need mental health support.