Press release - 25 November 2004

Shaping the Future of Services in Sussex

Mental Health, Learning Disability and Substance Misuse Services

A small project team with representatives from Health and Social Care in Sussex and Brighton & Hove was set up in April 2004 to look at best future arrangements for the future development of mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services for the people of Sussex and Brighton & Hove.

The Project Steering Group have agreed that discussion to get peoples’ ideas on the best future arrangements should now broaden, engaging clinicians (including GPs) service users, carers and staff.

Western Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) is leading the work of this project and has launched the discussion phase, which will end on 31 January 2005. The discussion document draws together the work of the project to date, including suggestions for service models and options for the future commissioning and provision of the services involved.

Claire Holloway, Chief Executive, Western Sussex PCT, said ‘ ‘Our overall ethos of care is based on supporting people at home, living independently wherever possible and as full participants in the community. What matters most is that the service is there where and when it is needed, not who provides it. The key is to have consistent quality and equitable access .’

The PCT will be co-ordinating the discussions to make sure that all those with an interest have the chance to express their views. This phase of the project is about gathering ideas to enable us to shape the proposals for formal public consultation, if appropriate, in 2005.

For further information, please contact:

Linda Benny, Communications Manager
Tel 01243 815287
Fax 01243 770799
Email linda.benny@wsx-pct.nhs.uk

Editors' notes

The discussion document is issued in partnership:

• Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust
• Bexhill and Rother Primary Care Trust
• Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust
• Crawley Primary Care Trust
• Eastbourne Downs Primary Care Trust
• Hastings and St Leonards Primary Care Trust
• Horsham and Chanctonbury Primary Care Trust
• Mid Sussex Primary Care Trust
• Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust
• Western Sussex Primary Care Trust
• East Sussex County Healthcare NHS Trust
• West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust
• South Downs Health NHS Trust
• West Sussex County Council
• East Sussex County Council
• Brighton & Hove City Council

The discussion phase involves three key elements:

The service model : being clear about how the services should work, in other words what each service includes and where people go to get help – for example from a GP, local team, hospital service, or specialist unit

Commissioning : developing new ways of planning and funding these services so that people get access to the right level of support, of consistently high quality, wherever they live in Sussex

Provider organisations : bringing the existing Trusts who provide the specialist element of these services closer together so they can pool their resources, skills and efforts. This might mean some sort of formal merger in due course

Please note that for Learning Disabilities only the specialist / complex end of the NHS Component of the care pathway is included.