This document outlines the high level work priorities for 2013-14 of the Strategic Clinical Network for Mental Health, Dementia and Neurological Conditions Wessex.

Download the SCN Wessex workplan 2013-14

Mental health

Mental health work priorities for 2013-14 include:

Improving Physical health diagnosis in people with pre-existing mental health conditions
Make recommendations to commissioners that are aimed at delivering equitable diagnostic healthcare for mental health patients requiring access to other health services in line with the general population. This aims to achieve equity of access to services for people with Mental Health issues and prevent excess morbidity and mortality.

Focus post diagnostic care for patients with long term Mental Health conditions on intensity of need
Ensure that post diagnostic care for patients with a Mental Health, Dementia or Neurological Condition diagnosis is based on their level of need. This will support the identification of best practice within this field and sharing these models across Wessex to improve services.

Improve self-management by identifying best practice, gaps in local provision and supporting the development of access to consistent high quality information across the region for mental health
Improve availability of high quality, standardised information held in one central place, providing easy access. This will support the enablement of  people to feel informed and empowered about their condition.

Developing rehabilitation and Early Supported Discharge (ESD) services across Wessex; including the development of a rehabilitation service specification
Work in partnership with the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) SCN on an agreed piece of work to standardise the provision and equity of rehabilitation services across Wessex. This will support all patients, regardless of their condition, have the appropriate rehabilitation to meet their individual needs.

Dementia

Dementia work priorities for 2013-14 include:

Improve understanding of disease-specific critical events causing crisis, unscheduled care and delayed discharge from hospital
Support commissioners to improve the understanding of disease specific critical events which may result in unscheduled care and a delayed discharge from hospital. This will support the improved management of critical events.

Support commissioners to improve rates of dementia diagnosis at all points in the clinical pathway. Facilitate the development of appropriate outcome measures
Support commissioners to improve diagnosis – including early diagnosis – of dementia throughout the care pathway and across health and social care. This will support the development of a unified care pathway for dementia assessment, diagnosis and management.

Focus post diagnostic care for patients with long term Dementia on intensity of need
Ensure that post diagnostic care for patients with a Mental Health, Dementia or Neurological Condition diagnosis is based on their level of need. This will support the identification of best practice within this field and sharing these models across Wessex to improve services.

Improve self-management by identifying best practice, gaps in local provision and supporting the development of access to consistent high quality information across the region for  dementia
Improve availability of high quality, standardised information held in one central place, providing easy access. This will support the enablement of people to feel informed and empowered about their condition.

Developing rehabilitation and Early Supported Discharge (ESD) services across Wessex; including the development of a rehabilitation service specification
Work in partnership with the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) SCN on an agreed piece of work to standardise the provision and equity of rehabilitation services across Wessex. This will support all patients, regardless of their condition, have the appropriate rehabilitation to meet their individual needs.