NHS SY ICB - Rotherham Place - Mental Health Community Connectors

Rotherham Mental Health Community Connectors<br/><br/>NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (the ‘Authority') intend to award without competition to commission a pilot Mental Health Community Connector Service to the provider as described:<br/><br/>Voluntary Action Rotherham, The Spectrum, Coke Hill, Rotherham, S60 2HX, Company number 2222190, Charity number: 1075995.<br/><br/>The NHS Long Term Plan (and implementation framework) outlines that, “New and integrated models of primary and community mental health care will give 370,000 adults and older adults with severe mental illnesses greater choice and control over their care and support them to live well in their communities by 2023/24. Over the past two years partners from across Rotherham have been working together to develop and mobilise this type of new integrated mental health community model of care. The introduction of Mental Health Community Connectors has been identified as an integral part of this new model. <br/><br/>The term ‘Community Connector’ is used to define a variety of distinct roles. In this context it describes a paid role which supports those people with a Severe Mental Illness (as defined in the Community Mental Health Transformation criteria). To do this a mental health community connector would support the individual:<br/>- to navigate through a range of activities to support mental wellbeing and emotional resilience, <br/>- reduce physical health risk factors (reduce inequalities experienced by this group of people), <br/>- access their Annual SMI health check and follow-up activities relating weight management, physical activity, substance misuse etc. <br/>- Connect people with their community and support them to engage with local activities and support. Helping individuals to overcome fears and barriers which stop them accessing services / support.<br/>- Provide early intervention and crisis prevention.<br/>This pilot award is to be made to Voluntary Action Rotherham. The rationale for this decision that as an anchor organisation VAR:<br/>• Has a wide breath of connections across the VSCE system. Consequently, they have a well-established infrastructure in place to enable them to mobilise this new service quickly. <br/>• Has a strong understanding of the new Community Mental Health Transformation programme, as it is collaborating with partners to inform the development of several of the programmes’ s associated pathways of care. <br/>This approach will also enable to Community Connector pilot to be aligned with the wider social prescribing review which is due to be undertaken. The pilot will be commissioned on a one-year contract, from October 2023 to September 2024, with an option to extend for an additional year, from October 2024 to September 2025,(total cost - £429,298). <br/><br/>The community mental health transformation programme is still evolving. This approach will enable us to evaluate and develop the community connector roles in Rotherham and gain a greater understanding of how they can be used to improve patient outcomes, improve access, and reduce inequalities. As this is a new approach, we do not yet have the evidence base or proof of concept to demonstrate whether it is effective, improves outcomes or prevents escalation of need. By piloting the Community Connector approach, it will allow time to gather evidence towards the end of the first year and flexibility to adjust the service for the second year so that we have clearly defined pathways, an understanding of demand/need and measurable outcomes with which to go out to the market. To support this process NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board will commission an external evaluation of the Mental Health Community Connector pilot and how it relates to the wider social prescribing and Integrated Community Mental Health Hubs. it will be tendered, after the pilot, if it proves to be value for money, can evidence impact and improved outcomes etc.