Issue - meetings

Building a New City Centre Offer from Sycamore House

Meeting: 05/12/2016 - Decision Session - Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health (Item 11)

11 Building a new city centre offer from Sycamore House PDF 228 KB

This paper provides an update to Members on proposals for building a new city centre offer for services delivered from Sycamore House. With a focus on access to information, support, emotional health and wellbeing, it advises of a new model for delivering services for Young People and Adults and provides a city centre offer for Young People in York.

This decision will be taken by the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health in consultation with the Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That;

(i) It be agreed to accept the Department of Health Capital grant to develop the Safe Haven Project in York.

(ii) Sycamore House be utilised to accommodate Voluntary and Community Sector agencies in the building as part of the model.

Reason: To ensure that;

· The services within this report offer a diverse, effective and sustainable solution for adults and young people using services in York.

· It supports our long-term vision for support services to be provided by the voluntary and community sector. The developments outlined in the report represent a very positive step in this direction.

· Young people can access relevant, holistic and non-stigmatising information and support from a suitable city centre location

· Our mental health services are aligned with the needs of our residents.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report which provided the Executive Members with an update on proposals for building a new city centre offer for services delivered from Sycamore House, of a new model for the delivery of services for Young People and Adults and the provision of a city centre offer for Young People in York.

The Executive Members were informed about the reasons for bringing Adults and Children’s Mental Health Services together at Sycamore House. This was because there was often a cross over between young people’s mental health services and adult mental health services and that with the involvement of voluntary and community sector partners on site, a wellbeing model for mental health could be developed rather than a psychiatric one.

In regards to the development of the Safe Haven, the capital grant from the Department of Health would be spent on improvement works to Sycamore House to ensure safety for all when using the building. From a safeguarding perspective, the design of toilets has been considered, the proximity of Arc Light to the building and more panic buttons would also be installed in the building along with CCTV. Further safety aspects had been considered, and it was reported that each of the three service areas using the building would be undertaking risk assessments.

The Executive Member for Children and Young People commented on the management of cross over periods at Sycamore House and when services at the Safe Haven would commence in the evening. He felt that the cross over in services could be beneficial if managed appropriately from a safeguarding point of view. It was reported that the Safe Haven would operate at a later point in the day (evening) and that a contact between young people and adults would be limited.