East and West Norfolk Community Wellbeing and Crisis Hubs

Aims service

• Deliver a day and evening hubs model in Kings Lynn and Gorleston that sits at the heart of the community and operates a safe and friendly environment. There will be very limited evidence of an association with statutory services and as such the environment, and everything associated with it, shall be psychologically informed - in line with Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) principles.
• Offer daytime support for a range of mental health problems and for episodes of mental distress, to be based in a static facility, providing advice and information.
• Operate a café function for hub attendees to support social and therapeutic aims.
• Operate a community café to support those who feel socially isolated and will aim to help de-stigmatise mental health and mental distress. The cafe should be open to the public and be aimed at the whole population.
• Offer sanctuary for people experiencing mental ill-health and mental distress. It will include a calm and safe space, providing practical and emotional support, which can be used as an alternative to admission if appropriate.
• Integrate with the First response Service (FRS), which is a triage telephone line that will gate keep all crisis referrals to the hub both day and night.
• Integrate with the existing support telephone line to support people who present as being in crisis and help to de-escalate.
• Offer a six to eight week course of support, with a combination of advice, support and information, as well as group support. This will include light-touch follow up support for an agreed period of time.

Objectives of the service

• Develop digital solutions to support and enhance the operation of all aspects of the hub.
• Support the development of a Partnership Board to oversee the strategic direction of development of hubs across Norfolk and Waveney
• Adopt an integrative approach with primary care and work closely with GP practices to ensure awareness of the hub is maximised.

Service description/care pathway

The hub model is not expected to provide any clinical oversight or interventions. These functions will be provided by the local Mental Health provider.

Daytime Hub:

• The hubs will offer day time support for a range of mental health problems and for episodes of mental distress. It will be based in a static facility, providing a range of activities, advice, information and support. It will use a navigation and enabling approach, to empower people to stay well in their community and at home.
• The hubs will work closely with all relevant system partners to support individuals and develop the offer of support, including (but not limited to) statutory & VCSE, health & social care.
• The model will be based on a peer support approach rather than a solely statutory environment, and will employ people with lived experience alongside, or as support staff.
• The hubs will serve the population of Norfolk and Waveney, with a predominant focus on West Norfolk
• People can be referred or signposted to the hub by health and social care professionals and other relevant agencies - based on agreed acceptance criteria.
• Advice and support will be available for people to access, both through technology and staff contact. A fundamental function of the hub will be to connect people with community assets. It is envisaged that system partners, such as the Job Centre, housing officers, benefits advisors and many more, could provide on-site sessions for people who require advice.
• Emotional support will be available if a hub user requests it. This support will be proportionate to the presenting need and will not create dependency.

Cafés:

• The cafés will offer opportunities for social interactions and to build the confidence and expand the skills of people who have experience of mental ill-health and mental distress, including formal certification recognising their development
• The cafés will comply with all industry standard health, safety and hygiene standards and legislation.
• The cafés provision shall be operated in a sustainable way.

For the public / commercial opportunities:

[where a the location and premises allow for it, i.e. where there is not one already established]

• The hubs will establish a community cafés to support those who feel distressed and/or socially isolated and will aim to help de-stigmatise mental health for those people using this feature.
• The cafes shall be open to the public and aimed at the whole population.
• The cafés will operate a commercial approach and shall reinvest any profits into the development of the hub.
• The cafés will also offer voluntary and substantive employment for people who have experience of mental ill-health and mental distress.
• The cafés will comply with all industry standard health, safety and hygiene standards and legislation.
• The café provision shall be operated in a sustainable way.
• The commercial model of the cafés will be developed within the parameters of the hub's Mission Statement. The pricing structure will be overseen and developed by the Partnership Board and in partnership with commissioners.

Evening Crisis Husb:

• The evening hubs will offer sanctuary for people experiencing mental ill-health and mental distress. It will offer a calm and safe space, providing practical and emotional support, which can be used as an alternative to admission if appropriate.
• De-escalate users in crisis and seek support from other services in dealing with critical incidents and provide support in accessing other support services.
• The hubs will serve the population of Norfolk and Waveney, with a predominant focus on West Norfolk
• The hubs will be aimed at people aged 18 years and over.
• People can be referred and/or signposted to the hub by health and social care professionals and other relevant agencies.
• An appropriate assessment of need will take place for all people on arrival.
• An appropriate plan of care for the evening will be agreed with the person …