NATIONAL mental health project that seeks to deliver an ‘ask once – get help fast’ service for people in distress is to be piloted in Lanarkshire.
Known as Distress Brief Intervention (DBI), staff across a wide range of agencies will be trained to help people in distress manage difficult emotions and problem situations at the earliest possible stage.
People will then be supported to overcome the immediate challenges and develop ways to look after their well-being, preventing future distress.
On Wednesday, the Minister for Mental Health, Maureen Watt, announced that Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire (H&SCNL) and South Lanarkshire Health & Social Care Partnership (SLH&SCP) have been selected to host the national DPI team on behalf of the Government. The Lanarkshire partnerships will also join four other partnerships across Scotland as a test site for the programme.
General Manager for Mental Health and Learning Disability Services in Lanarkshire, Paula Macleod, said: “The aim of DBI is to listen, learn, understand and share how we can provide a more co-ordinated, consistent and compassionate responses to people who experience distress across Lanarkshire and Scotland.
“We want to do this in a way that really makes a difference to people’s lives, their families and friends.
Kevin O’Neill, Public Mental Health & Well-being Development Manager at NHS Lanarkshire said, “Feeling low, stressed and overwhelmed with the challenges of life can be emotions that we all feel. Let’s all feel comfortable talking about our mental health, know where to go for support and be compassionate in our response to others.”
The need to improve response to distress has been strongly advocated by service users and front line service providers nationally.
In Lanarkshire, there is a long-standing culture of integrated working. Representatives of H&SCNL, SLH&SCP – encompassing NHS Lanarkshire and the respective North and South Lanarkshire Councils – made the successful bid to host the project with various partners. They include North and South Lanarkshire Choose Life Implementation Groups, Lanarkshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, third sector, Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, service users and carers.
Calum Campbell, Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire said: “Strong partnership, planning, governance and accountability structures have seen good progress made across Lanarkshire with regard to improving mental health services, promoting mental well-being and preventing mental illness.
“The fact Lanarkshire has been selected to host the DBI is testament to that hard work.”
Janice Hewitt, Chief Accountable Officer of H&SCNL, added: “This is a hugely important service for us to pilot in Lanarkshire. It recognises that mental health can affect any of us at any time. We need to ensure that we have services in place for those with long term illnesses and those who only need us for short episodes in their lives.
“Having well trained Health and Social Care staff as well as those from other partner organisations is critical in improving the mental health and well-being of our communities in Lanarkshire. It is our mission to provide the right support at the right time and in right place.”
Harry Stevenson, Chief Officer of SLH&SCP said: “The DBI will help ensure there is no wrong door for those in distress, whether they approach social work, health or partner organisations like the police or ambulance service, to name a few.
“The DBI will build on the well established spirit of joined up, coordinated working, placing the person at the centre of everything we do.”
Minister’s announcement
The Scottish Government will provide £4.2m (from an £150 million additional investment fund in mental health services) to develop and test the effectiveness of the DBI over a four year period to March 2021.
Minister for Mental Health, Maureen Watt announced the host and partner agencies at the Houldsworth Centre in Wishaw. She said: “Early intervention like this is such an important part of how we treat mental health and will be a key part of our new ten-year strategy, which will be unveiled later this year.
The Distress Brief Intervention is all about equipping people with the skills and support to manage their own health and to prevent future crisis.
“DBIs are one way of delivering on our “ask once, get help fast” commitment.
“I’m delighted that Lanarkshire Partnerships will be host and partner for the next phase of work along with Penumbra in Aberdeen, Support in Mind in Inverness, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and its constituent Health and Social Care Partnerships, and NHS Borders Joint Mental Health Service. I look forward to hearing of its progress.”
Picture captions: Representatives of Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Health & Social Care Partnership with Minister for Mental Health, Maureen Watt, front centre.
