NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) announced plans to fund a health-based Section 136 Place of Safety suite in York at their Governing Body meeting yesterday (4 July 2013).

Section 136 (S136) is a section of the law that gives police officers the authority to remove a person; with an apparent mental disorder, from a public place to a “place of safety” for up to 72 hours.

Professor Alan Maynard, Chair of the CCG, said: “In line with our commitment to improve the quality and safety of commissioned services and to support the development of services under Section 136, the CCG is delighted to announce that it has pledged £400,000 towards the provision of a much needed place of safety at Bootham Park Hospital in York.

“This will provide a 24/7 single point of access for all patients presented under S136 and allow for the direct and secure access for ambulances or police transport, whilst ensuring the privacy and dignity of service users and carers is maintained.

“Currently there is no place of safety linked with the local mental health services and those detained under Section 136 are usually cared for in the police custody suite at Fulford Police Station in York. Or if they have other medical problems or injuries, they are taken to the Accident and Emergency Department at York Hospital.

“It is hoped that the new service will be open in the autumn. In the meantime we will be working in collaboration with GPs and all relevant partners including North Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, York Foundation Trust, City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council to agree the processes behind this service.”

Jill Copeland, Chief Operating Officer at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am pleased that the CCG will be investing in a dedicated health based Place of Safety in York.

“A Place of Safety is an essential part of providing a full range of patient-centred mental health services and this is really good news for local people.

“We will begin work as soon as possible to carry out the necessary building work and the recruitment of specialist staff to provide the best possible service to the people of York and North Yorkshire.”

Governing Body Meeting:  4 July 2013

Meeting in public on 4 July 2013 at 10am in the George Hudson Boardroom, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA

Prior to the commencement of the meeting a period of up to 20 minutes will be set aside for questions or comments from members of the public who have registered in advance their wish to participate;  this will start at 10am.

AGENDA

Standing Items
1.	Apologies for Absence
2.	Declaration of Members' Interests in Relation to the Business of the Meeting	To Note	Verbal
3.	Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 June 2013	To Accept	View
4.	Matters Arising from the Minutes		Verbal
5.	Chief Clinical Officer Report	To Note	View
6.	Director of Public Health Report	To Note	View
Strategy
7.	Section 136 Suite for Vale of York	To Approve	View
Performance
8.	Performance and Quality Dashboard	To Note	View
Assurance
9.	Recovery and Improvement Plan - NHS England Gateway Ref: 00062	To Note	View View
10.	NHS England CCG Assurance Framework 2013/14:  Briefing Paper	To Note	View
11.	Key Financial Policies	To Adopt	View
Minutes
12.	Strategic Collaborative Commissioning Committee:  9 May 2013	To Receive	View
13.	NHS Vale of York CCG Quality and Performance Committee:15 May 2013	To Receive	View
14.	Any Urgent Business
15.	Next Meeting 10am on 5 September 2013 at The Memorial Hall, Potter Hill, Pickering YO18 8AA
16.	Exclusion of Press and Public In accordance with Paragraph 8 of Schedule 2 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 it is considered that it would not be in the public interest to permit press and public to attend this part of the meeting due to the nature of the business to be transacted.

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