Chamber and committees

Local Authorities and Integration Authorities have statutory responsibility to ensure people receive care and support to meet their needs. During the coronavirus pandemic the Scottish Government has set up a process to ensure Integration Authorities receive funding for additional costs resulting from the pandemic. This funding will help deliver the local mobilisation plans that set out Integration Joint Boards’ response to the pandemic, in keeping with the principles for Social Care Sustainability Payments. These principles have also been extended until the end of November, with appropriate tapering arrangements agreed.

COSLA sustainability principles https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/may-2020
/social-care-sustainability-payments and guidance for commissioners https://www.cosla.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/15569/
coslaguidanceforcommissionedservices170420.pdf are in place to guide practice and the use of this funding to ensure people continue to receive high quality support. To date £100m additional funding has been committed.

In addition, we worked with a number of partners to develop guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-
guidance-on-self-directed-support/ to support more flexible use of social care provision. This includes, for example, switching to a different self-directed support option during the pandemic to achieve the best support possible in the circumstances. People’s support may look different as it has not always been possible to continue to provide the same type or level of support. Such unavoidable changes may include a reduction in workforce capacity due to workers self-isolating, shielding or being unwell, or many group-based supports running at greatly reduced capacity due to physical distancing measures. We expect Integration authorities to clearly communicate any changes.

We are aware of some excellent, innovative practice in social care support during COVID-19, including explicit links to community support. We have however also been made aware of people’s support being stopped and poor communication. As part of work to remobilise services that have stopped and re-engage with the reform agenda, we are currently completing a piece of work to learn from practice during the pandemic. This will help to identify what kind of support would be helpful to enable positive innovation and practice to continue, and ensure people are well supported.

The Scottish Government financially supports a wide range of third sector organisations that contribute towards its improvement agenda for mental health and wellbeing. Total annual funding is shown in the following table.

The latest published data for Psychological Therapy waiting times was released on 2 June 2020 and contains data up to 31 March 2020. For ease of reference NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde waiting times data is detailed below. Data for April to June 2020 data will be published on 1 September 2020 by Public Health Scotland.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Psychological Waiting Times

• In March 2020, 1,062 people started treatment (see Table 1). Of these 89.0% started treatment within the 18-week target, with a median wait of 2 weeks.
• This is down from the performance during the same period last year, when 1,368 people started treatment, with 93.1% starting treatment within 18 weeks. However, the median wait was slightly higher then at 3 weeks.

Table 1: Psychological Therapies Waiting Times for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, March (2019-2020)

The following lists the mental health charities in Glasgow that the Scottish Government has been in contact since the Covid-19 lockdown was announced.

Charities that cover the Glasgow region

• Home Start Glasgow South – Grant Funding.
• Amma Birth Companions – Grant Funding.
• Home Start Glasgow North – Grant Funding.
• MindMosaic Counselling and Therapy – Grant Funding.

National charities that cover the Glasgow region

• Maternal Mental Health Scotland – Grant Funding.
• Quarriers – Grant Funding.
• CrossReach (Church of Scotland Social Care Council) - Grant Funding.
• The Spark - Relationship Helpline and counselling provision – Grant Funding.
• See Me - Youth worker volunteers and youth champion volunteers reviewed the AyeFeel website based on layout, accessibility, content and provided ideas for improvement, alongside developing a bank of content by young people for young people. Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• SAMH - Connecting regarding their CYP transitions project, advising on wellbeing boxes and transition plans for their partnerships with Glasgow primary and secondary schools [adapted in light of Covid-19] and also regarding their Youth Access Project – to link in with communities and wellbeing through the CYPMHW programme board. Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Beat -Linked local Beat Ambassadors to AyeFeel and YoungScot for Instagram Live Q&A sessions and supporting content for July.
• Barnardos - Direct link to planning and collaboration work with Barnardos Renfrewshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategic Partnership for children and young people – the collaboration also engages/works in partnership with other charities.
• YWCA Scotland - helped develop and deliver body image and BAME content for AyeFeel.
• Scottish Association for Mental Health(SAMH) - Discussion on various projects including See Me programme and Distress Brief Intervention and overall Covid-19 response and recovery. Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Mental Health Foundation (MHF) - Discussion on various projects including See Me programme and Distress Brief Intervention and overall Covid-19 response and recovery. Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began. Member of Mental Health Research Advisory Group.
• VoX - member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began. Member of Mental Health Research Advisory Group.
• Mental Welfare Commission -Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Royal College of Psychiatrists - Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Samaritans - Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Support In Mind - Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Unison - Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Penumbra - Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Young Scot - Member of the Scottish Government’s informal Mental Health stakeholder group which has met regularly (approx. fortnightly by conference call) since the pandemic began.
• Carers Trust – Member of Mental Health Research Advisory Group.
• Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland - Member of Mental Health Research Advisory Group.

Mental Health has been identified as a clinical priority as part of the wider remobilisation process taking place across the health and social care system. As part of this process all NHS Boards including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, have been asked to set out their approach to the remobilisation, recovery and redesign of services for the remainder of this financial year in the next iteration of their remobilisation plans.

This should include setting out how Boards intend to make best use of their resources to respond to the current and projected future demand for mental health services across their area, including any impacts resulting from Covid-19. The Boards’ approach is expected to incorporate any lessons learned over the last few months.

The Scottish Government will be assessing the proposals around mental health services as part of the wider assessment of Remobilisation Plans and will work with Boards and their partners over the coming months to identify what support may be required to support effective delivery of the services required for local communities.

The Scottish Government has already made £50 million available to Integration Authorities to support the implementation of local COVID-19 mobilisation plans, which NHS Boards and Integration Authorities have submitted to the Scottish Government, setting out their additional resource needs. The use of this funding will be determined locally by Integration Authorities.

In addition there has been a £6 million package of national measures announced by the Scottish Government to help people look after their mental health during and after the Covid-19 lockdown, which will benefit the people of Glasgow. For example, the ‘Clear Your Head’ campaign highlights the practical things people can do to support their mental wellbeing. The campaign has run across television, radio, and online.

NHS Boards draw funding for mental health services from the overall funds allocated to them by the Scottish Government.

Local budget decisions should reflect the national mental health priority and NHS Boards are expected to work with Integration Authorities and other partners to plan and deliver person centred, safe and effective mental health services which meet the needs of their populations.

NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s overall budget has increased in cash terms by £729.8 million (44.6%) from 2006-07 to 2020-21. NHS Scotland expenditure on mental health is reported in the Scottish Health Service Costs , published annually by ISD Scotland.

For the current financial year, the Scottish Government is working closely with NHS Boards to scrutinise and confirm the financial implications of responding to Covid-19 and will be making a funding allocation to recognise the impact on health budgets.

The Mental Health Research Advisory Group has met virtually on 3 occasions to consider emerging research on the mental health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At its first meeting the Advisory Group commissioned Public Health Scotland to compile a rapid review of the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health. The review addresses the following questions:

• What impact is the COVID-19 pandemic having on mental health outcomes (using validated measures) at the population level?
• What risk and protective factors are associated with mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• What are the key learnings and implications for Scotland?

The review is now published and can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.healthscotland.scot/media/3105/rapid-review-of-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-mental-health-june2020-english.pdf

The Advisory Group has also commissioned Scottish Government Health and Social Care Analysis Division to compile regular research briefings on the emerging research and survey results on the mental health impacts of COVID-19.

These briefings are for information and awareness on current and emerging evidence. These briefings are published on the Advisory Group’s webpages and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.scot/groups/coronavirus-covid-19-mental-health-research-advisory-group/