| |
|
|
Key Constituent
Agencies
Leeds Mental Health Trust
2004/5
The Leeds Mental Health Trust (LMHT)
was devolved from the Leeds Community
and Mental Health Trust in 2002. The
Trust has a Child Protection Named Psychiatrist
and a Named Nurse.
LMHT established a Child Protection
Clinical Governance Council in 2003 which
comprises the Named and Designated Child
Protection Professionals, Senior Managers
and other key staff from LMHT and associated
agencies such as Willows Young Carers
Project. The council is chaired by the
Assistant Director of Nursing and Clinical
Governance. The purpose of the Council
is to provide a focal point within LMHT
to lead developments to safeguard children
and work alongside existing clinical
governance structures, ACPC etc. The
establishment of this council is a reflection
of the high priority that LMHT has placed
on the whole area of Safeguarding Children.
The Commission for Health Improvement
also audited LMHT Board in 2003 regarding
their Child Protection Arrangements and
the Clinical Governance Council formulated
an action plan on which work is progressing.
The key areas of work identified by the
Trust Board from this audit are the child
and young person centred culture, a safe
environment for children, clinical performance
monitoring and improvement and training
and competence of the staff. The Performance
Indicators for NHS Trusts were completed
in April 2004 and the Trust is presently
looking at the implementation of the
Self Assessment Tool for Clinicians which
will be used by the Clinical Teams in
LMHT. The Action Plans, which will be
formulated by the teams, will be used
to further improve the child protection
services and will be a major piece of
work for 2004/2005
Further examples of work that is ongoing
and planned include the recruitment of
Link Nurses or workers for the different
service areas in LMHT who will undertake
child protection development work within
the Trust. There are plans to devise
a monitoring and reporting system for
the admissions of 16 – 18 year
olds on Adult Mental Health Wards. The
effectiveness of the Trust Policy regarding
children visiting Adult Mental Health
Wards it to be audited. The implementation
of good practice data collection and
dissemination is to be developed.
Staff from LMHT are briefed about their
responsibilities on induction and attend
child protection training as indicated
by their area of work and responsibly.
Uptake of the training by medical and
nursing staff, ancillary staff and allied
health professionals, receptionists and
administrative staff continues to be
high and again reflects the commitment
of LMHT to safeguarding children.
|
|
