Blackpool Council Annual Health Report 2019 Blackpool Council Annual Health Report PAGES | Page 34

MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health can affect on all areas of young people’s lives – how they feel about
themselves and others, their relationships and their psychological and emotional
development. Poor mental health underlies many risk behaviours, including smoking, alcohol
and drug misuse and higher-risk sexual behaviour 22 . Being mentally healthy helps people to
realise their potential, gives them strength to cope with change, overcome challenges and
adversity and make a positive contribution to their community 23 .
Blackpool has some of the highest levels of need with respect to mental health – it is
estimated that 10.3% of children aged 5-16 are likely to have mental health disorders. One in
every 100 children and young people aged 10-24 were admitted to hospital due to self-harm
in 2017/2018, and around 3.3% of secondary school pupils are reported as having social,
emotional and mental health needs.
Since 2017 the eight CCGs covering Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire have
been implementing a joint plan for the transformation of services for supporting resilience,
emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.
NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provider organisations were
tasked to work collaboratively with voluntary, community and faith sector providers and with
CCGs to co-produce a core model for CAMHS services across Lancashire and South Cumbria
through a process of engagement and co-production with children, young people, families
and wider stakeholders. The group of provider and CCG representatives leading this work are
referred to as The Care Partnership.
In Phase 1 of the redesign, which took place in early 2018, children and young people told
The Care Partnership that:
• there isn’t enough support for young people from services
• 
people in communities as well as professionals need more knowledge about mental
health and its impact
• waiting times are too long
• criteria get in the way of accessing support
• there needs to be more options for treatment
• there continues to be a negative stigma about mental health.
In line with the project timeline the Care Partnership Team submitted an outline proposal
for a new care model in August 2018. This was evaluated by an independent panel and
the panel’s recommendations to proceed to Phase 2 of the project was approved by the
Transformation Board in September 2018.
Preparations for Phase 2 (to take place in early 2019) involved development of a Phase
2 project timeline and a Co-production and Engagement Plan. The Phase 2 timeline was
approved by the Transformation Board in October 2018.
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22. Royal College of Psychiatrists Position Statement PS4 (2010)
23. World Health Organisation (2005) Promoting Mental Health; Concepts, emerging evidence and practice.