Mental Health Specialist Advisory (and Support) Services

NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB) (The Commissioner), intends to commission Mental Health Specialist Advisory (and Support) Services. The service delivers a high level of specialist expertise in relation to debt, welfare benefits, housing, and employment (in conjunction with IPS) advice to patients with significant mental ill health and is an essential part of the supportive infrastructure, maintaining people's independence and wellbeing, making this an essential service on the recovery pathway across Frimley. This service has been commissioned as a model that supports access to an advisory service for all people with a significant mental health problem in the least restrictive, de-stigmatising way, whilst supporting the implementation of a 'recovery' focused approach at all times. The aims and objectives of the service which have been met to date include: • Evidence of alleviation of distress caused by concerns associated with debt, benefits, housing and employment issues through the user satisfaction surveys and any outcome management tools. • Access to support and advice in a timely manner to directly address socially determined triggers for a mental health crisis. • To improve the quality of life for adults with a mental health illness through access to a specialist service tailored to the client group, providing free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice for people who due to their illness are inhibited from using general advisory services at that point in time. • Support, educate and raise awareness to ensure people with mental health problems are appropriately supported within general advisory services. • Support clients to obtain additional and appropriate benefits to assist independence, support quality of life and recovery. • Manage and reduce the debt burden of clients with a mental illness. • Support resolution of housing or employment issues that may have a negative impact on their independence and mental well-being. • Raise local and national awareness of the types of problems encountered by clients of the service. • Reduce anxiety and stress by ensuring that clients that would benefit from support are able to access an advisor, or supported to do so, prior to escalation of their issues having a detrimental effect on their mental health. The intention is to award this new contract to the existing provider East Berkshire CAB (following a market engagement exercise) who have proposed an innovative collaboration (with themselves as the lead provider and contract holder).with the Frimley South equivalent service provider Heathlands CAB This provides assurance of a high level of expertise and knowledge to continue delivery of this essential specialist service across Frimley North/East Berkshire.