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The Royal College of Psychiatrists Improving the lives of people with mental illness

 

Current Consultations


Recent Consultations

 

Older Consultations

 

Current Consultations+++

 

 

The South Wales Programme: the future of consultant-led maternity and neonatal care, inpatient children's services and emergency medicine for South Wales and South Powys

Click here to access the South Wales Programme website for the Consultation document and details of the open consultation events. The plans and proposals do not target mental health services. However, if you feel there may be an indirect impact on mental health services and patients, please contact me (mtippett@rcpsych.ac.uk). The consultation runs from 23 May - 19 July.

 

 

Welsh Government: Improving Access to Substance Misuse Treatment for Veterans

 

As part of the Substance Misuse Treatment Framework (SMTF), the Welsh Government is seeking views on improving access to substance misuse treatment for veterans. This document is intended to inform the development of local care pathways and will be relevant to practitioners and those responsible for planning and managing services.

If you would like to comment on the draft guidance document, please complete the response form and email to me (mtippett@rcpsych.ac.uk) by 20 August.


 

 

Closed Consultations

 

The Ministry of Justice: Transforming Youth Custody: Putting education at the heart of detention

The Paper outlines the Government’s plans for placing high quality education at the centre of youth custody. The consultation paper covers:

  • key information on youth custody and the young people held there;
  • the case for change;
  • a vision for Secure Colleges which place education at the heart of the system.

A link to the Central College response will available shortly.

 

 

National Assembly for Wales: Children and Young People Committee Inquiry into Childhood Obesity

The National Assembly for Wales is conducting an inquiry into how successful the Welsh Government's policies to tackle childhood obesity are and what more could be done. Public hearings will take place this summer.

RCPsych in Wales Response, 3 May 2013

This inquiry is currently on hold due to pressures on the Committees programme.

 

 

The National Assembly for Wales Consultation on the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill

The Health and Social Care Committee is currently considering the general principles of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill. The Bill aims to reform and integrate social services law for people and make provision for:

  • Improving the well-being outcomes for people who need care and support, and carers who need support;
  • Co-ordination and partnership by public authorities with a view to improving the well-being of people;
  • Complaints and representations relating to social care and palliative care;
  • Local authorities’ social service functions and that of Welsh Ministers to intervene in a local authority’s exercise of its social services functions; and connected purposes.

RCPsych in Wales response, 15 March 2013

 

 

NICE: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: quality standard consultation

NICE has drafted six new quality standards for ADHD for both adults and children. Quality standards describe high-priority areas for quality improvement in a defined care or service area.

 

RCPsych in Wales response, 21 March 2013

 

 

 

Welsh Government: Criminal Justice Liaison Services in Wales - Policy Implementation Guidance

The Welsh Government has developed Policy Implementation Guidance to set out the minimum levels of service outcomes, performance monitoring and governance arrangements for Criminal Justice Liaison Services in Wales. The guidance is designed to help support the delivery of the Together for Mental Health strategy. It aims to simplify arrangements between criminal justice and health and social care. It will also help ensure appropriate and timely interventions for people in custody.

RCPsych in Wales response, 12 March, 2013

Update from WG, 3 June

 

 

Welsh Government: Consultation on legislation to end violence against women and domestic abuse (Wales)

This White Paper consultation outlines the policy and legislative proposals aimed at ending violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.The proposals focus on three specific areas:

  1. improving leadership and accountability;
  2. improving education and awareness; and
  3. strengthening services in Wales.

The proposed legislation aims to help Wales take steps forward ending violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.

RCPsych in Wales Response, 22 February, 2013

 

Welsh Government: Green Paper - Public Health Bill for Wales

The Green Paper for a Public Health Bill for Wales consultation provides an opportunity to consider whether legislation could help the Welsh Government to improve overall health and wellbeing in Wales. It starts a debate about whether new legislation would provide an effective way of making further progress in key areas.

RCPsych in Wales Response, 20 February, 2013

 

Government Alcohol Strategy

The Governmentl's alcohol strategy, published in March, 2012, sets out proposals to crackdown on our 'binge drinking' culture, cut the alcohol fuelled violence and disorder that blights too many of our communities, and slash the number of people drinking to damaging levels.

Click here for a copy of the strategy. The College response will be available shortly.

 

 

Health & Social Care Committee Smoke-free Premises etc. (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The National Assembly for Wales’s Enterprise and Business Committee and Health and Social Care Committee have each established a sub-committee to take evidence from interested parties on the Smoke-free Premises etc. (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

To access the Consultation documents, please click here.

RCPsych in Wales Response, 18 January, 2013.

 

 

Welsh Government: The Strategy for Older People in Wales (Phase 3) 2013 - 2023

The Welsh Government produced their Strategy for Older People in Wales (Phase 3) 2013-2023. The Strategy for Older People was first launched in 2003 to address the issues and aspirations of people aged 50 + living in Wales. The first and second phases of the strategy led to the introduction of a range of programmes to address the needs of older people in Wales. The Welsh Government now wants to develop a strategy to support a third phase.

The Strategy covers the topics of wellbeing, contribution and participation, age-friendly communities, poverty and preparation for later life.

RCPsych in Wales Response, 17 January, 2013.

 

 

Welsh Government: Placing Children on Remand in Secure Accommodation

The Welsh Government set out proposed amendments to the Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991 governing the circumstances in which a local authority can place a child in secure accommodation where that child:

· Is remanded in custody (refused bail) in the course of criminal or extradition proceedings; or

· has been detained by the police under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE).

Questions are centred on revoking the “modified test” (reg. 6(2) of the Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991) in favour of the “welfare test” (section 25(10( of the Children Act 1989).

RCPsych in Wales Response, 18 December 2012

 

 

Welsh Government: Green Paper on proposals to improve services for children & young people in the Youth Justice System

The Welsh Government published a Green Paper setting out proposals to improve the services provided for children and young people at risk of or in the youth justice system, including substance misuse and mental health services. The Government is looking into ways to use their devolved powers to make existing services work better alongside the youth justice system. The Green Paper highlights the prevalence of substance misuse, mental health issues and SEN in many offenders and the difficulty for young people accessing CAMHS.

Consultation Document

RCPsych in Wales Response, 11 December 2012

 

 

Welsh Government: Proposals for reform of the legislative framework for special educational needs

The Welsh Government are proposing to replace the statutory framework for the assessment and planning of provision for children and young people with SEN with a simpler, more person centred and integrated system for children and young people with additional needs (AN). It is believed that this will:

  • lead to increased trust and confidence of parents and carers in the system
  • provide greater consistency between schools and local authorities, and
  • foster more effective partnerships between agencies.

Consultation Document

RCPsych in Wales Response, 11 Oct 2012

 

 

National Assembly for Wales : Access to Medical Technologies

The National Assembly for Wales’s Health and Social Care Committee has agreed to undertake work on access to medical technologies in Wales and invited the public to provide views on the scope of this inquiry. Members would like to know what you think the terms of reference should be for this work, and on what aspects of accessing medical technologies they should focus their efforts. The Committee does not intend to discuss access to medicines as part of this inquiry, only medical technologies.

The Committee also welcomed comments on:

  • the uptake of medical technology in Wales, and the possible barriers to effective new (non-drug) treatments being more accessible to patients;
  • current appraisal processes for new medical technologies;
  • the decision-making process in NHS Wales on funding new medical technologies/treatments.

Consultation letter

RCPsych in Wales response, 5 Oct 2012

 

 

Welsh Government - Together for Mental Health

‘Together for Mental Health’ is the Government's new mental health strategy for Wales.

It covers people of all ages and  aims to address the needs of people with mental health problems or a mental illness, whilst also improving mental wellbeing.

The Strategy is intended to improve outcomes for service users, carers and their families. 

It encourages the "recovery and reablement" approach, which aims to help people live independently and achieve their full potential.

Consultation Document

Consultation Questions

RCPsych in Wales response, 31 July 2012

 

Welsh Government Social Services (Wales) Bill
 
The bill was introduced to provide legislation required to take forward the change programme outlined in the white paper, 'Sustainable Social Services for Wales: A Framework for Action'

 

It will provide, for the first time, a coherent legislative framework for social services in Wales. This consultation set out legislative proposals for the Social Services (Wales) Bill in the following areas:

 

  • maintaining and enhancing the wellbeing of people in need;
  • giving citizens a stronger voice and real control;
  • ensuring a strong national direction and local accountability for delivery;
  • safeguarding and protection;
  • regulation and inspection; and
  • adoption and transitions for disabled children and young people.

 

Consultation Document

Question response form

 

RCPsych in Wales response, 1 June 2012

 

 

Health Committee Inquiry examining the Alcohol Strategy:

Terms of reference and call for evidence

 

Following the publication of the Government’s Alcohol Strategy, the Health Committee is to hold an inquiry examining the Government’s proposals so far as they relate to health issues, and in particular will look at:

 

  • Establishing who is responsible within Government for alcohol policy in general, policy coordination across Whitehall and the extent to which the Department of Health should take a leading role.
  • Coordination of policy across the UK with the devolved administrations, and the impact of pursuing different approaches to alcohol.
  • The role of the alcohol industry in addressing alcohol-related health problems, including the Responsibility Deal, Drinkaware and the role of the Portman Group.
  • The evidence base for, and economic impact of, introducing a fixed price per unit of alcohol of 40p, including the impacts on moderate and harmful drinkers; evidence/arguments for setting a different unit price; the legal complexities of introducing fixed pricing.
  • The effects of marketing on alcohol consumption, in particular in relation to children and young people.
  • The impact that current levels of alcohol consumption will have on the public’s health in the longer term.
  • Any consequential impact on future patterns of service use in the NHS and social care, including plans for greater investment in substance misuse or hepatology services.
  • Whether the proposed reforms of the NHS and public health systems will support an integrated approach to future planning of services for people who experience alcohol-related harm.
  • International evidence of the most effective interventions for reducing consumption of alcohol and evidence of any successful programmes to reduce harmful drinking, such as:
  • Public health interventions such as education and information;
  • Reducing the strength of alcoholic beverages;
  • Raising the legal drinking age; and
  • Plain packaging and marketing bans.

 

The College response will be made available once the Health Committee have published their findings.

 

Regulation of Health and Social Care Professionals

The Law Commission for England and Wales, the Scottish Law Commission and the Northern Ireland Law Commission have published a joint consultation on regulation of healthcare professionals.

The consultation paper and summary can be found here.

The Law Commissions were seeking views on how a new legal framework would:

  • give the regulators increased flexibility in the use of their powers while ensuring public accountability
  • enable them to ensure proper standards of professional education, conduct and practice
  • have at its heart a duty on the regulators to protect the public.

 

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has produced a summary of proposals and questions, which can be accessed here.

Many of the questions and proposals are matters of detail that will not be of immediate concern to Colleges. However there do appear to be a number of important issues raised.

For a copy of the College's response, please click here.

 

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Proposed Health Technology Appraisal

Review proposal of Guidance No:  98; Methylphenidate, atomoxetine and dexamfetamine for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents (including a review of guidance TA13)

This guidance was issued in March 2006, and the review date is September 2011.

The Guidance Executive (GE) Proposal paper and provisional matrix of consultees and commentators are now available to download.


 

Home Office - Forced Marriage Consultation

The Home Office were seeking views on:

  • whether forcing someone to marry should be a made a criminal offence or whether current arrangements provide adequate protection;
  • how to deter forced marriages from taking place; and
  • how they might implement the criminalisation of breaches of the civil Forced Marriage Protection Orders -  A FMPO is an order which may contain any number of provisions as the court deems necessary to protect an individual who is at risk of forced marriage or who has already been forced into a marriage.

Please click here to access all relevant documents. Please click here to access the College's response (April 2012).

 

 

Mental Health (Secondary Mental Health Services)(Wales) Order 2012

As part of the Welsh Government’s work in preparation for commencement of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010, a draft Order has been developed to provide further definition about what are to be considered Secondary Mental Health Services under the Measure.

The Welsh Government is seeking your views on the Mental Health (Secondary Mental Health Services)(Wales) Order 2012.

This Order has the effect of:

  • excluding any service provided as part of a local primary mental health support service under Part 1 of the Measure from being considered as a secondary mental health service, and
  • enabling secondary mental health services provided elsewhere in the United Kingdom to be considered as secondary mental health services for Part 3 of the Measure in Wales.

The Divisional Response is now available (14 March 2012)

The Welsh Government has prepared guidance to Local Health Boards (LHBs) and local authorities and others as an aid when considering the definition of ‘secondary mental health services’ as set out in the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 and the Mental Health (Secondary Mental Health Services) (Wales) Order 2012, and in developing joint schemes for the provision of local primary mental health support services under Part 1 of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010.

 

 

Welsh Government - Children and Young People's Continuing Care Guidance

The Guidance Document covers the continuing care packages that should be in place where existing services are lacking.

 

“Continuing care” is for children and young people who require services due to “disability, accident or illness”.

 

The guidance comprises:

 

  • A continuing care process which outlines the principles, timelines and the phases involved in assessing and arranging provision of packages of continuing care. It also considers transition from child to adult services.
  • An assessment toolkit to aid identification of continuing care needs in children and young people and a children and young people’s Decision Support Tool to assist local decision making about the care that is needed.
  • A continuing care pathway to help plan, design, deliver and evaluate services.
  • Details of the legal framework for children and young people’s continuing care.

 

The Divisional Response is now available (13 March 2012)

 

 

The Mental Health (Primary Care Referrals and Eligibility to Conduct Primary Mental Health Assessments) (Wales) Regulations 2012

These Regulations propose arrangements which will enable GPs to refer individuals to local primary mental health support services (including individuals who are not registered with them). The Regulations also set out eligibility requirements for those who may undertake primary mental health assessments.

The Divisional Response is now available (27 January 2012). The response from the Royal College of GPs will be made available once in the public domain. If you have any queries, please contact Manel on 029 2048 9006.

The Welsh Government will prepare guidance under Part 1 of the Measure for Local Health Boards and Local Authorities on the Establishment of Joint Schemes for the delivery of Local Primary Mental Health Support Services. We will place this on our website under Welsh Policy Updates, once it has been published.

 

Draft Code of Practice on Parts 2 and 3 of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure, 2010

The Welsh Government's consultation on the draft Code of Practice on Parts 2 and 3 of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure is now closed.

Part 2 relates to Care Coordination and Care and Treatment Planning and Part 3 relates to the Assessment of Former Users of Secondary Mental Health Services.

Click here to download the Draft Code of Practice, Consultation Document, and the Consultation Response Form from the Welsh Government website. 

The Divisional Response is now available (17 January 2012).

 

The Health and Social Care Inquiry into Residential Care for Older People

The National Assembly for Wales' Health and Social Care Committee undertook an inquiry into residental care for older people looking into the ways in which the  needs of older people can be met now and in the future, specifically:

  • the process by which older people enter residential care and the availability and accessibility of alternative community-based services, including reablement services and domiciliary care.
  • the capacity of the residential care sector to meet the demand for services from older people in terms of staffing resources, including the skills mix of staff and their access to training, and the number of places and facilities, and resource levels.
  • the quality of residential care services and the experiences of service users and their families; the effectiveness of services at meeting the diversity of need amongst older people; and the management of care home closures.
  • the effectiveness of the regulation and inspection arrangements for residential care, including the scope for increased scrutiny of service providers’ financial viability.
  • new and emerging models of care provision.
  • the balance of public and independent sector provision, and alternative funding, management, and ownership models, such as those offered by the cooperative, mutual sector and third sector, and Registered Social Landlords.

 

Letter from the Chair

Divisional Response 

Other responses

Final Committee Report

 

 

The Mental Health (Regional Provision) (Wales) Regulations 2012   

The Welsh Government's consultation on the Mental Health (Regional Provision)(Wales) Regulations 2012 is now closed.

The Regulations would enable Local Health Boards (LHBs) and local authorities in Wales to enter into regional working arrangements, as opposed to local working arrangements.

 LHBs will agree with the local authorities within their "patch" collectively, and not with each local authority individually, on:

  • schemes for the provision of local primary mental health services (under Part 1); and
  • arrangements for receiving self referrals and undertaking timely arrangements (under Part 3).

Click here to download the Regulations, Consultation Document, and the Consultation Response Form from the Welsh Government website.

The Divisional Response is now available (16 December 2011).

NICE Review of Clinical Guideline (CG77) Antisocial personality disorder: treatment, management and prevention Consultation Document to decide if CG77 should be updated.

 

The Divisional Response is now available (24 October 2011).

 

NICE DRAFT SCOPE for clinical practice guideline on the management of autism in children and young people for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

The draft scope defines what aspects of care the guideline will cover and to whom it will apply. You can access the draft scope here.

 

The Divisional Response is now available (30 September 2011).

 

NICE Draft Service user experience in adult mental health guidance and Quality Standard consultation is now closed. The aims of the guidance are to:

 

  • develop recommendations and quality standards to provide a framework describing key requirements for providing a high quality service user experience;
  • identify quality measures that set the expected degree of achievement;
  • identify key areas for improvement in current service user experience;
  • identify key areas for further research that are likely to improve understanding of how to measure and improve the experience of care within adult mental health services.

 

The Divisional Draft response is now available (19 July 2011).

 

NICE Draft proposal for the review for update of the Bipolar Disorder (CG38)

A review is being undertaken to decide whether CG38 should be updated. Further details, the review proposal consultation document can be found by following the link below:

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG38/ReviewProposal (end 15 June 2011).

 

 

NICE Draft proposal for the review for update of the Schizophrenia Guideline (CG82)

A review is being undertaken to decide whether CG82 should be updated. Further details, the review proposal consultation document can be found by following the link below:

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG82/ReviewProposal (end 24 June 2011).

 

NICE Draft proposal for the review for update of the Eating Disorders Guideline (CG9)

A review is being undertaken to decide whether CG82 should be updated. Further details, the review proposal consultation document and the comments proforma can all be found by following the link below:

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG9/ReviewProposal (end 26 June2011).

 

NICE Draft Self-Harm (Longer Term management) Clinical Guideline

The NICE draft Self-harm (longer-term management) follows on from 'Self-harm: the short-term physical and psychological management and secondary prevention of self-harm in primary and secondary care' (NICE clinical guideline 16). It is concerned with the longer-term psychological treatment and management of self-harm, and does not include recommendations for the physical treatment of self-harm.

 

The Divisional Draft response is now available. (7 June 2011).

National Framework for Children and Young People's Continuing Care - Informal Consultation Document

Officials have been working with stakeholder gorups, policy colleagues and lawyers for some time to finalise the draft National Framework for Children and Young People's Continuing Care. 

The Divisional Draft response is now available. (23 May 2011).

 

The Mental Health (Wales) Regulations 2011

  • Part 2 The Mental Health (Care Coordination and Care and Treatment Planning)  (Wales) Regulations 2011
  • Part 3 The Mental Health (Assessment of Former Users of Secondary Mental Health Services) (Wales) Regulations 2011
  • Part 4 The Mental Health (Independent Mental Health Advocates) (Wales) Regulations 2011

 

The Divisional Draft response is now available. (16 May 2011).

Consultation on the Strategic Vision for Maternity Services in Wales

The Draft Strategy outlines the Welsh Assembly Governments vision for high quality maternity services for the future.  

The Divisional Draft response is now available  (26 April 2011).

 

Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Children and Young People:  Guideline Consultation - NICE

A clinical practice guideline on Autism spectrum disorders in children and young people is being developed for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

The Divisional Draft response is now available. (25 March 2011).

 

Draft Guidance for Engagement and Consultation on Changes to Health Services

If you wish to view the RCPsych in Wales response, please contact the Divisional office.

 

Draft Good Practice Framework for People with a Learning Disability requiring Planned Secondary Care

This consultation is now closed.  If you wish to view the RCPsych in Wales response, please contact the Divisional office.

 

Care Standards Act 2000:  The Adult Placement Scheme Regulatory and National Minimum Standards Framework

2010.

This consultation has now closed.  If you wish to view the RCPsych in Wales response, please contact the Divisional office.

 

Draft All Wales Obesity Pathway

This constulation has now closed.

 

Consultation on Proposed Mental Health (Wales) Measure

The Divisional Draft Response is now available. For a link to all other responses to the Measure click here.

 

National Dementia Action Plan for Wales

If you wish to view the Welsh Division's response, please contact the Divisional Office.

 

Rural Planning - improving service delivery across Wales

If you wish to view the Welsh Division's response, please contact the Divisional Office.

 

Consultation on Review of Secure Mental Health Services

If you wish to view the Welsh Division's response, please contact the Divisional Office.

 

Proposals for the future of Specialist and Tertiary Services

 

Proposals on the future of Comunity Health Councils in Wales

 

Unification of Public Health Services in Wales

 

NHS National Patient Safety Agency - Rapid Response Report - Resuscitation in Mental Health and Learning Disability Settings

 

Mental Health Act Commission - Treatment under emergency power for Supervised Community Treatment patients who are awaiting Second Opinions - interim guidance for clinicians, administrators & Mental Health Act Commissioners - January 2009

 

Technical Consultation on Eating Disorders:  Pathway for Wales.

The Welsh Division has formulated a response to the 'Technical Consultation Eating Disorders: Pathway for Wales '.

 

'Talk to Me' - A National Action Plan to Reduce Suicide and Self Harm in Wales

The Welsh Division has formulated a reponse to the 'Talk to Me' consultation.

 

Working for Equality in Wales:  Consultation document for a Single Equality Scheme, Welsh Assembly Government.

 

Welsh Division Response to William's Paper

The Welsh Division has generated a response following discussions held at the Division's Executive Committee Meeting on 20/06/08 and a Division meeting with Edwina Hart, Minister for Health and Social Services on 17/07/08.  We were asked by Mrs Hart to structure a response in this format i.e. a general response and appendix of our perception of the barriers to service within Mental Health.

 

Welsh Assembly Government Consultation:  Iechyd Meddwl Cymru - A Well Being and Mental Health Service Fit for Wales

This paper was requested by Edwina Hart MBE, AM, The Minister for Health and Social Services.  Its principal recommendation is that a Statutory Body responsible for Mental Health and well being is established. 

 

The closing date (02 September 2008) for responses has now passed, and the Welsh Assembly Government plans to make all responses publicly available - a link to this information will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.

 

 

Consultation paper II - Delivering the new NHS for Wales.  The consultation paper provides details for the next stage in the proposed reform of the NHS in Wales.

 

Statement by the Welsh Assembly Government - NHS Restructuring, Edwina Hart, Minister for Health and Social Services - 11 November 2008

An oral statement from the Minister on the NHS reforms

 

Statement by the Welsh Assembly Government regarding NHS Reorganisation in Wales by Edwina Hart, Minister for Health and Social Services on 30 September 2008.

The Ministers statement regarding the Consultation of Proposals to Change the Structure of the NHS in Wales.

 

Welsh Assembly Government Consultation:  Proposals to Change the Structure of the NHS in Wales

Following a 12 week consultation which closed on 25 June 2008, the emerging view is to create single local health organisations that would be responsible for delivering all healthcare services within a geographical area, rather than the Trust and Local Health Board system currently operating.

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