Agenda item - Chair's Communications

29.1    The Chair gave the following communications

We’re looking at 4 issues today. As a standing item we have an update from NHS commissioners about major NHS changes, including the recent merger of the Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Boards.

We also have an item focusing on improving urgent care. Some groups of vulnerable people, including people experiencing homelessness and people with drugs or alcohol issues, are much more likely than average to present at A&E for care, are more likely to need admitting to hospital and are much more difficult to discharge in a timely way. This is a particular problem in Brighton & Hove as we are an outlier in terms of both homelessness and substance misuse. Today’s report outlines what the health and care system is doing to identify and to better support people with these types of vulnerabilities, improving their care and hopefully reducing pressures on the urgent care system.

We also have 2 reports focusing on mental health, another issue where Brighton & Hove is an outlier. There’s an update from Sussex Partnership Trust on the temporary closure of Chalkhill hospital. We’ll look at what impact the closure has had and how SPFT’s plans to revise the unit’s clinical model, recruit staff and improve the physical environment are progressing.

Finally, we have a report on neighbourhood mental health. This is in 2 parts. SPFT will present on their reconfiguration of their community mental health teams. We also have Southdown here today to talk us through the changes they are making to the wellbeing services they run from Preston Park.