Mental Health - Adults of Working Age

The purpose of the Panel

The purpose of the Panel is to provide a single point of access for people with mental health needs to all types of supported accommodation.

Supported accommodation is any accommodation where support is provided as part of the package, including 24 hour registered residential or nursing homes and accommodation where staff visit as needed.

The benefit of this process to you is:

• you only need to make one application
• all applicants have to go through the same process
• the Panel will decide whether you qualify for supported accommodation and if so, which is the best type of supported accommodation

Who the Panel is for

People who require supported accommodation because of mental health needs.

All applications for supported accommodation within Bath & North East Somerset for people with mental health needs are dealt with through the Supported Accommodation Panel.

The same system is used for people who receive support from the statutory mental health services (Social Services or the Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust), who just see their G.P., or who have decided themselves that they have mental health needs.

The Panel system applies to people of working age only.

What is the Panel?

The Panel is a decision-making body. It is made up of representatives from statutory mental health services (Social Services/AWP Mental Health Trust), the Supporting People service, providers of supported accommodation.

Any applications made directly to a provider of supported accommodation will be channelled through the Panel and not dealt with by the provider independently of the Panel.

How to apply for supported accommodation

Anyone with mental health needs who wants to apply for supported accommodation must complete the Panel’s application form. These are available through mental health teams, from providers of supported accommodation, from Bath Mind Advocacy service (13 Abbey Churchyard, Bath tel. Bath 463525) and from the Bath & North East Somerset Council’s website.

How to get support in applying to the Panel

If you have a care co-ordinator in a mental health team, that person will help you complete the application form.

If you are not in contact with a mental health team and need help, then Bath Mind Advocacy service (13 Abbey Churchyard, Bath tel. Bath 463525) will help you. This service is free of charge.

What happens after you have applied to the Panel

• The chair of the Panel will decide whether your application is routine or urgent.
• If routine, your application will be discussed at the next monthly Panel meeting.
• If urgent, the chair of the Panel will ensure your application is discussed by Panel members as soon as possible.
• If more information is needed to make a decision, the chair of the Panel will contact you or the person who has referred you.

The Panel will decide whether supported accommodation is appropriate for you and if so, what level of support you need. The Panel then looks at which providers give the level of support you need and pass your application to that/those provider(s).

The provider(s) then pursue their admission process and contact you. Providers of supported accommodation have their own eligibility criteria and some providers may only be able to offer accommodation to those within the ICPA (Integrated Care Programme Approach) i.e. getting support from the statutory mental health services. You do not complete any more application forms: the one you gave to the Panel is the one the providers use. You and the provider(s) will decide whether you want to go to a particular supported accommodation scheme.

• The provider will make an offer direct to you (not via the Panel) if it decides its service is appropriate for you. The Panel can nominate to a provider, but the provider has the final say as to who is offered a place in one of their services.

Choice

• If there is more than one scheme at a particular level of care which is appropriate for you, then you will be limited to stating a first and a second choice. If a place becomes available at your second choice, the scope for you to decline the vacant place will be determined by taking into account the particular circumstances of the case, such as where you are waiting (e.g. with family; on an acute in-patient ward).
• Whilst there is a duty to provide an appropriate service and to offer choice, and whilst the Panel wishes to respect your wishes and preferences, if you decline the offer of an appropriate service, then the Panel can be deemed to have discharged its duty.

What happens if there is no vacancy

• If there is no vacancy in supported accommodation at the level of support you need, then your name will be added to the Panel’s waiting list for that category of care.
• If there is no vacancy in supported accommodation at the level of support you need, then it can be agreed that you are offered a place at a scheme offering a higher level of care, but on a temporary basis only, with the requirement for you to move on when a place becomes available at the appropriate level of support. This decision is made by the Panel taking into account the urgency and the particular circumstances of the case. You will not be offered a place in a scheme offering a lower level of care than that needed, even on a temporary basis.

What to do if you are not happy with the decision of the Panel

If you, or the person who has made the referral on your behalf, disagree with the decision of the Panel, then you/the referrer has a right of appeal to the Panel. The reasons for the disagreement should be made in writing to the Panel chair.

If you need an advocate to help you with this, then Bath Mind Advocacy service (13 Abbey Churchyard, Bath tel. Bath 463525) can help you. This service is free of charge.

• On receipt of your written case for disagreement, the Panel will then seek supplementary information/clarification from you, the referrer and/or any other relevant parties.
• The Panel will re-consider its decision and inform you in writing of the outcome.

What to do if you are not happy with the way you have been treated by the Panel or any of the providers

• The Panel is made up of representatives from many organisations, but is chaired by the statutory mental health services.
• If you wish to make a complaint against one of the service providers in respect of the way you have been treated or the service you have received, then you must use the Complaints Procedure for that provider. The Panel or the provider will give you a copy of this procedure.
• If you wish to make a complaint against the Panel as a whole, then you must use the Complaints Procedure for Social & Housing Services. The Panel or the Complaints Procedure Manager of Social & Housing Services (Complaints Procedure Manager, Social & Housing Services, P.O. Box 3343, Bath BA1 2ZH. Tel 01225 477000) will give you a copy of this procedure.

Standards and Policies of the Panel

The Panel has a range of standards and policies which have been agreed by all agencies involved.

The standards are:

• In routine cases, a Panel decision (initial or final) will be made within 20 working days of receipt of referral by the Panel chair.

Routine cases include:

• Where the applicant is housed but not receiving appropriate services and the risk assessment is low to moderate
• Where the applicant is homeless or at risk of homelessness but is in hospital and no up-to-date assessment and risk assessment has been completed and no discharge ICPA meeting has been held

In urgent cases, a Panel decision will be made within 5 working days of receipt of referral by the Panel chair.

Urgent cases include:

• Where the applicant is homeless or at risk of homelessness and the risk assessment is high
•  Where the applicant is housed but not receiving appropriate services and the risk assessment is high
• Where the applicant is housed but there is high risk to the carer and his/her needs and the situation is at high risk of breakdown

Providers will aim to complete their referral/allocation process within 15 working days of receipt of the referral information from the Panel. Where the applicant requires more time to engage in the process, then an extended timeframe will be agreed.

If you appeal against the Panel’s decision, you will receive a written response within 8 weeks.

The policies are:

• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• Confidentiality Policy

If you wish to see any of these policies, then please contact the Panel chair:

The  Mental Health Supported Accommodation Panel
 (Bath & North East Somerset),
Social & Housing Services,
P.O. Box 3343,
Bath BA1 2ZH.