Devon Health and Wellbeing Sandbox

We want to ensure a positive attitude to mental health and wellbeing is fostered and that prevention and early intervention to support lifelong mental health is everyone’s priority. Mental was part of strong and supportive communities but is now a priority in its own right in recognition of some of the challenges locally and the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and we want mental and physical health to be equally important.  This priority includes promoting positive mental health using assets across the community and tools such as five ways to wellbeing.

The Facts:

People with mental health conditions have a lower life expectancy and poorer physical health outcomes than the general population. Evidence suggests this is due to a combination of clinical risk factors, socioeconomic factors and health system factors. The outcomes report shows that Devon does compare well for some mental health indicators.

Achievements so far Early Help 4 Mental Health services commissioned with schools to support young people online and face to face to meet their needs Improved access and recovery outcomes related to Improving Access to Psychologic Therapies (IAPT) with improving access to IAPT Improved provision of places of safety so people of all ages can avoid being detained in police custody Dementia diagnosis rates are improving and support services are improving. Take up of memory matters has increased and there are now 57 memory cafes.

Goals for 2016-2020 Implement the 5 year forward view for mental health and ensure a focus on prevention early intervention and pathway development Improve mental health outcomes in Devon so that we are no longer worse than the England average Eliminate the stigma and discrimination felt by those with a mental illness Realise the opportunities from Devolution and the Sustainability and Transformation Plan mental health priorities to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities

See priority: 1, 2, 3