30. DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate declare their interest, and having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

There were no declarations of interest.

31. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Committee held on 4 July 2007 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

32. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

There were no Chairman's communications.

.

33. LOCAL INVOLVEMENT NETWORKS (LINks)

The Bill to set up LINks was currently progressing through

the House of Lords, where amendments were being made, and

it was expected to receive the Royal Assent by the end of

October 2007. The Chief Executive outlined the progress

being made by the County Council with the development of

LINks. Precise details on funding were not yet available so it

was not possible to firm up arrangements for the

establishment of LINks. However an initial meetings had been

held with interested parties under the Chairmanship of

Councillor Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott as a pre-curser to its

establishment in Hampshire.

Members requested a further update in six months time.

RESOLVED:

The Chief Executive presents an update on the progress with

the establishment of LINks in six months time.

34. MENTAL HEALTH

The Director of Adult Services presented a report on The

National Service Framework, Mental Health Act 1983 -

Statistics and the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health

Service Users (Item 5 in the Minute Book). She gave details of

the Mental Health Autumn Assessment 2006, which showed

that progress had been made in implementing key national

targets including early intervention in psychosis, and the work

that was being carried out to recruit the target number of nine

black and minority ethnic community development workers,

to meet targets for mental health services in primary care, the

implementation of mental health promotion strategies and

development of a personality disorder strategy. She asked for

Member support in engaging Local Strategic Partnerships

(LSPs) in promoting mental health services.

The National Patient Survey 2007 had indicated significant

areas for improvement which included access to talking

therapies, having a say in decisions about medication, having a

written care plan and receiving help to find a job. Members

thought it important that patients understood their medication

and that GPs should ensure that medications were continually

explained and that Primary Care Trusts should ensure that this

happened.

Details were given of the number of assessments for people

requiring compulsory admission to hospital and the use of

Guardianship under the provisions of the Mental Health Act

1983.

Members requested an update on progress being made with the

implementation of highlighted improvements in six months.

RESOLVED:

That the Director of Adult Services presents a further report to

the Committee in six months giving an update on progress

being made with the implementation of improvements in

social care matters highlighted in the findings of the Annual

Monitoring of the Mental Health National Service Framework

2006 and the National Patient Survey 2007.

35. ALCOHOL - ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES

INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH

The Chief Executive reported on the progress being made by

the Alcohol Scrutiny Panel. Requests for

information/evidence had been sent to a wide variety of

stakeholders and live evidence sessions would take place on 9,

16 and 19 November 2007. Further meetings of the Panel

would take place in the new year to assess the evidence with a

view reporting back to the Committee in April 2008.

28. CARE AT THE END OF LIFE

Councillor Hughes reported that he had met with the Director

of Adult Services and had received an update on the progress

being made by Adult Services on the recommendations made

by the Care at the End of Life Review Panel. A note of his

meeting with the Director had been prepared and he requested

that it be circulated to all members of the Committee

29, COMMITTEE'S WORK PROGRAMME

The Chief Executive presented the Committee's Work Programme (Item 8 in the Minute Book). Proposals for the 2008/09 Committee's work programme would be included at the next meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee's work programme be approved

The Chief Executive presents an update on the progress with

the establishment of LINks in six months time.

That the Director of Adult Services provides an update on LSP progress prior to the Chairman approaching the LSPs regarding the promotion of Mental Health and presents a further report to the Committee in six months giving an update on progress

being made with the implementation of improvements in social care matters

highlighted in the findings of the Annual Monitoring of the Mental Health National Service Framework 2006 and the National Patient Survey 2007

The Chief Executive circulates the note of Councillor Hughes' meeting with the Director of Adult Services to all Members of the Committee.