North East Mental Health Regional Employment Team

Minutes/Notes of the North East Regional Employment Team. Held 6th February 2009.


Present;


Suzzane Martin ONE North East


Cynthia Bartley (Chair) Public Health North East


Sheila Stowers JCP


Ann Creed LSC/NIACE RPO


Tim Bird (REL) CSIP/JCP Regional Employment Lead


Liam Gilfellon Regional IAPT Lead


James Herbert MHNE/Mindful Employer North East


Robin Beveridge ONE North East



Guests


Steve McCuskin North East ATW Team Manager




  1. Welcome & Introductions.


Cynthia welcomed everyone and asked them to introduce themselves. Apologies were received from, Lyn Boyd, Julie Kilgour, Paula Martin-King and Brenda Grey.


AP 1/02. Tim Bird will ascertain the position with Neil Lowther on the groups given the imminent demise of NSIP.



  1. Action Points from the Previous Meeting


AP 1/12. James and Tim will finalise the mapping and present to the next meeting. The map will need to clearly show support for employers and encompass the work of Ann Creed for LSC/NIACE mapping providers.


AP 2 & 3/12. Cleared


AP 5 & 6/12. James and MHNE have nearly finished this work and will present to the next meeting. Robin Beveridge gave info on a visit to Leeds to look at a successful Social Enterprise and to consider applying this in the region.

  1. REL Update


Tim presented his previously distributed report adding that he was now involved with the IPS WNF bid in the City of Sunderland and that we had been praised by East Midlands region for our work and they wished to use our RET etc. as a template. The RET website is now up and running and will have its content reviewed regularly. Members of the group are urged to forward to Tim any items they would like published (www.mhne.co.uk/ret).


It was agreed that the membership of the RET should be expanded,

AP 2/02. Tim will follow up with ANEC, James will look at service user and Suzanne would chase up GONE.


  1. Mature and Working Lives Regional Advisory & Support Structures


Cynthia issued the map of the structures and outlined how they interlink


  1. IAPT update.


Liam gave a full update of the position in the region. The current rollout is


Year 1 (08/09) North and South Tyne.

Year 2 (9/10) Northumberland, Gateshead, North Tees and South Tees.

Year 3 (10/11) North Durham, South Durham & Darlington, Sunderland.

Year 4 (11/12) Newcastle, though it is hoped to move this into year 3.


The Employment Support Workers posts are with DAC and are around 5 in South and North Tyne. We are also looking Regionally and nationally to increase the support from JCP in this area to work with expansion.


  1. Access to Work (ATW) and Mental Health.


Steve McCuskin the Regional ATW manger gave details of the current service and what it is doing to look ahead at supporting people with mental health issues. He issued case studies on help already given and the links that are being developed with the third sector and other groups. There will be links to be developed with IAPT and Mindful Employer as well.

Steve agreed to join the group as his support with ATW supports the MH agenda.


  1. Mindful Employer (ME) Update.


James Herbert updated the group on progress with ME. There are 54 signatories committed to working towards the charter and new engagements with potential groups/employers/organisations like Proctor & Gamble, Sanofi, Nissan. The first MHNE Mindful Employer Consortium group will meet on 25th February at John Snow House in Durham. ME may now have to make nominal charges for signing up and being assessed for the charter.


  1. Other Urgent Business.


Ann Creed reported on the LSC NIACE research that is now complete and also updated the group on the event on 27th April for training providers being held at Durham County Cricket Club and supported by CSIP funding secured through the REL/RET. She invited Steve to have an ATW display at the event.


Again members of the RET were encouraged to submit items to be published on the RET website. Tim is reviewing content and is happy to get things on. The site is funded for two years.



  1. Date and Time of Next Meeting


This will be held at Mental Health North East, Defender Court, Sunderland on 24th April 2009 at 10am until 1pm.

C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\MHNE\RET\Minutes RET MH 6th February 2009.doc