Contact: Richard Carthew, Senior IT Consultant (Mental Health), 02380 687315

1. Summary

The use of Mental Health SCA will allow the County Council to meet its responsibilities under the NHS Plan and the Mental Health National Service Framework to develop mental health teams and electronic information systems with its NHS partners.


The following decisions are sought:

1. That the County Council increase its capital programme cash limit for 2003-04 by £286,000 in respect of a Mental Health Supplementary Credit Approval to promote the development of mental health information systems and accommodation for community mental health teams.

2. That agreement be given, in principle, to the use of the powers under Section 28BB NHS Act 1997 where this would promote the cost effective and efficient use of funds.

2. Reason(s)

2.1 To enable the continued development of mental health joint electronic information systems.

3. Other options considered and rejected

3.1 Not applicable

4. Conflict of interest declared by the decision-maker or a member for officer consulted

4.1 Not applicable

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 Not applicable

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Not applicable

Approved by: ......................................... Date of decision: .................

Councillor T K Thornber

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Policy and Resources

11 September 2003

Mental Health Supplementary Credit Approval

Report of the Director of Director of Social Services

Contact: Richard Carthew, Senior IT Consultant (Mental Health), 02380 687315

1. Introduction

1.1 Mental Health Supplementary Credit Approvals (SCAs) are made by Government to Local Authority Social Services Departments to fund capital developments for services for people with mental health problems. SCAs are in effect permission for the local authority to borrow money to finance capital expenditure. Since 1999 they have been made available over a two year period, as this allows greater flexibility in using the award efficiently and effectively. However, this, their final year, the SCA is made available for this financial year only. Bids for services must be developed in partnership with health authorities, NHS Trusts and other relevant agencies, and have to be consistent with local mental health strategies.

1.2 The development of mental health services is one of the key priorities identified in the NHS Plan. The NHS Plan clarifies the priorities for service development outlined in the Mental Health National Service Framework (NSF), a ten year plan that outlines the services that should be available for people with mental health problems. A key component of both the NHS plan and the NSF is a requirement for integrated service provision between the NHS and Local Authorities, including electronic information systems. This is now being pursued through the NHS's National Implementation Programme, now known as the "National Programme for IT" (NPfIT). The majority of statutory mental health services are delivered from NHS facilities, and Social Services staff are usually co-located in Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) with NHS staff and where possible use joint systems and process.

2. The SCA award

2.1 The County Council has been awarded SCA for 2003-2004, totalling £286,000 to deal with the implications for information systems of mental health service developments (described in LAC(2003)6; HSC 2003/005 of 6 March 2003). It is also proposed to use part of this funding (approximately £70,000) to make necessary improvements to Community Mental Health Team accommodation.

2.2 In recent years the County Council has used SCA, in the main, for the development of joint information systems (the other use of funds being to improve accommodation for joint mental health teams). This is a continuation of work begun in 1999 where the Social Services Department has worked jointly with its partner health authorities, city councils and NHS mental health provider services to develop joint information strategies and systems. These developments have been funded largely through Mental Health SCA. The County Council secured £177,500 in 1999, £300,000 in 2000, £200,000 in 2001, and now £205,000 in 2002 for this purpose. Each award is for a two year period, and has been supplemented by similar SCA awards to Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils, with some NHS contributions.

2.3 The SCA has supported the development of joint systems, including the "Pan-Hampshire Mental Health Information System" (PHaMHIS). The purpose of PHaMHIS is to develop an integrated business case and procure an electronic system to support joint mental health services. The SCA funds allow the stakeholders to work closely together to maximise co-operation, consistency and economy of effort, whilst recognising the diversity of needs arising from the current systems in place. In addition, close links are maintained with the development of Hampshire County Council's replacement Social Care Information System, (SWIFT). SWIFT will be a component of a joint mental health system.

2.4 A new national strategy has recently been introduced, with a much more centralised approach to IT developments in the NHS. This has meant less flexibility for individual strategic health authorities. Our SHA, therefore, is not in a position to support PHaMHIS, much as it would have liked to do so. Consequently, no complementary funds are forthcoming from Health and a joint information system cannot be procured and implemented, for the time being.

2.5 It is therefore proposed that the SCA allocation for 2003-04 will be used to develop and implement a system based on SWIFT. This will meet the social care requirements for mental health services, and those mental health requirements currently met by the existing social care system (ACMS). The development would be undertaken jointly with Portsmouth City Council, and in partnership with NHS partners. This is in keeping with the County Council's e-government strategy which includes the development of IT 2000 and SWIFT, and the promotion of partnership working.

2.6 The use of funds for SWIFT rather than PHaMHIS marks a change in direction for SCA. The SHA's decision was made following national decisions in the NHS outside its control, which could not have been foreseen, namely the National Programme for IT. However the SWIFT solution will build on much of the previous work.

2.7 Parts of the SWIFT will be located on NHS premises and developments supported by NHS resources. For this reason, officers have made use of the new powers available under section 28BB of the Health Act 1977 (section 28BB was inserted by Section 30 Health Act 1999). These powers enable local authorities to transfer funding to Health Authorities or Primary Care Trusts where it can be demonstrated that the funding will achieve the joint aims of the authorities in the most cost effective and efficient manner. In the case of capital funding transfers the local authority's investment is legally protected and must be returned at the end of the joint venture.

3 Conclusion

3.1 The use of Mental Health SCA will allow the County Council to meet its responsibilities under the NHS Plan and the Mental Health National Service Framework to develop mental health teams and electronic information systems with its NHS partners.

The following decisions are sought:

1. That the County Council increase its capital programme cash limit for 2003-04 by £286,000 in respect of a Mental Health Supplementary Credit Approval to promote the development of mental health information systems and accommodation for community mental health teams.

2. Agreement be given, in principle, to the use of the powers under Section 28BB NHS Act 1997 where this would promote the cost effective and efficient use of funds.

Background Papers

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matter in which this report or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report.

N.B. The list excludes:

1 Published works.

2 Documents which disclose exempts or confidential information as defined in the Act.

NONE