Transforming Care Programme

The Transforming Care Programme is a national priority that focuses on improving services for people with learning disabilities, autism, or both and those with severe mental health problems or behaviour challenges.

The North East Transforming Care Programme covers the North East and North Cumbria and aims to make sure that individuals with a diagnosed Learning Disability (LD) and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) are supported within the local communities, to avoid unnecessary in-patient mental health admissions.

Aims of programme

The programme aims to make sure that children and young people:

• are supported to have a good quality of life, are treated with respect and feel at home in their local community
• are kept safe but at the same time be supported to take positive risks
• have choice and control over their lives
• support should be provided in the least restrictive way
• get equal health outcomes to the rest of the population

We are committed to making sure children and young people with learning disabilities, autism or both have the right to the same opportunities as anyone else.

To do this we need to make services in the community better, this will mean that children and young people will be able to get their health care at home or near to where you live.

You can find out more about the Transforming Care Programme.

Other services

• STOMP / STAMP
  STOMP - stopping over medication of people with a learning disability and / or autism 
  STAMP - supporting treatment and appropriate medication in paediatrics
• Annual Health Checks
  Your child / young person may be eligible for an Annual Health Check.

It is important that services are aware of people with learning disabilities and / or autism who are at risk of admission to a specialist learning disability or mental health hospital.

The DSR is managed by the NENC ICB Complex Case Management team.

You can find out more about Dynamic Support Registers.

Sometimes, hospital admissions are avoidable by getting the right support at the earliest point.

A Multi-Disciplinary Team Meeting (MDT+) aims to make sure a person with complex health needs is getting the right care.

What an MDT+ is

An MDT+ is a multi-disciplinary team meeting with a commissioning representative. The aim of the meeting is to understand the level of support needed for an individual and if anything can be commissioned differently for the person. An MDT+ will:

• Look at the current plan and care needs
• Review progress
• Look at options to meet the individual's needs, such as respite or alternative community provision

Your views and those of your young people should be sought and considered as part of any MDT+.

When a MDT+ should be organised

Patients may have their cases referred to the MDT at any time, when significant changes occur and further treatment options need to be considered.

When there is an urgent need to consider hospital admission a Care (Education) Treatment Review should be carried out.

C(E)TR's bring together those responsible for commissioning and providing care services for individuals, including the patient and their family, and independent clinical opinion. They look at current and future health and care needs, including plans for leaving hospital.

What a C(E)TR is

C(E)TR's are led by the NHS but involve the Council and education services. Your Voice Counts manage requests to make sure that patient and carer views and voices are central. 

C(Education)TR's have a person-centred and individualised approach to ensure that a person with learning disabilities and / or Autism are supported through a strength-based approach.

The C(E)TR process values the importance of listening to the individual and their family, understanding the current rationale for providing care in community and inpatient MH hospital and where required, providing a sufficient level of challenge.

They aim to:

• Make sure individuals are accessing and receiving the right treatment, care, and support
• Avoid unnecessary inpatient admissions by seeking alternative solutions to meet an individual's needs.
• Reduce the amount of time people spend in hospital by identifying any barriers which can keep people in hospital longer than necessary

Where an admission is appropriate, a CTR / CETR will test and challenge the care people receive in hospital by asking key questions and making recommendations that lead to improvements in safety, care, and treatment.

Requesting a C(E)TR

A C(E)TR should only be requested when an individual is actively being considered or required to be admitted to hospital.

They can be requested by:

• Individual in receiving services
• Individual's family or carer
• Responsible Commissioner
• Advocate for the individual in receipt of services
• Team who are supporting the individual, either from the inpatient services or within the community

How to request a C(E)TR

C(E)TR requests are submitted to Your Voice Counts (Service) using this form.

C(E)TR request form

Find out more about C(E)TR's.