Plans
to improve access to psychological therapies for people in Bristol, North
Somerset and South Gloucestershire have taken a further step forward, with
confirmation of the organisation which will be providing a redesigned local
service from September this year.
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) clinical commissioning group has awarded the contract for services to Vita Health Group following a comprehensive procurement process that concluded in April.
Vita
Health Group already provides psychological therapies services to NHS service
users in other areas of England and will lead on delivery of an innovative new
service for local people, working with service partners Bluebell Care Trust and
Windmill Hill City Farm, and other providers in the local authority and
voluntary and community sectors.
Welcoming
the announcement, CCG clinical lead for primary care Dr Martin Jones said:
“This is a really positive development. Vita Health has an excellent track
record of delivering accredited psychological therapies in other parts of the
country and we’re looking forward to working with them and local partners to get
the new service up and running.
“Our
current arrangements for psychological therapies expire this year and we’ve
worked closely with service users, existing providers, GPs and the local
independent mental health network to review current provision and develop an
innovative and forward-looking new service.
“One
of the really exciting features of our new approach is that as
well as continuing to provide high-quality therapy treatments, the service will
focus on the causes as well as the symptoms of mental ill-health.
“We think this more joined-up approach
to assessing and addressing people’s mental health needs will deliver better
outcomes for service users, as well as providing a more sustainable and
effective IAPT service for our area.”
Derrick
Farrell, CEO, Vita Health Group, said: "Vita Health
Group, a leading independent NHS provider of Mental and Physical Health
Services across the UK is delighted to be selected as the successful
bidder for the delivery of the Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire
IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) services.
“We look forward to partnering and working with established local providers and charities, healthcare organisations, GPs and service users to set up the new service as quickly and smoothly as possible. Our ultimate aim is to make people better. We want to make a real difference to service user outcomes by delivering the right mental health care, in the right place and at the right time.”
Steve Sayer, CEO of Windmill Hill City Farm said: “As an established local provider we are excited to be a partner with Vita Health Group. We have shared values in providing support closer to home and improving the resilience and wellbeing within the community. This is an exciting time for the residents of BNSSG.”
Ruth
Jackson, CEO of Bluebell Care Trust commented: “Bluebell is
delighted to be part of this innovative new service and is looking forward to
working in partnership with Vita Health Group to enable even more families to
access support for their perinatal mental health. This partnership working with
enable us to extend our peri-natal classes across North Somerset and South
Gloucestershire.”
The new service is scheduled to begin from September and Vita Health will be working closely with existing providers, local authority and voluntary and community sector partner organisations in the coming months to prepare for the launch of the new service.
This will also include writing
to existing users of IAPT services to explain the changes, what they mean for
local service users and how to access further information.
Further updates including
public Frequently Asked Questions, will be published on the CCG’s website.