EIJB latest news

  • Nine new Thrive Edinburgh mental health services will be funded by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board.

  • All services are funded for the next five years, with the view to be extended a further three years – the first-time contracts of this duration have been awarded.

  • The services will make a key contribution to the city’s new open access services and make it easier for people to get the support they need.

  • The services will support the work underway to develop the ‘Edinburgh Pact’ – a commitment to understand what health and social care means to people in Edinburgh and deliver the service that’s right for them.

Investing in Edinburgh’s mental wellbeing

As part of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board’s strategic plan and the Edinburgh Thrive initiative to promote the mental health and wellbeing of Edinburgh’s people, £2.6m has been awarded to fund nine new mental health services.

The nine services will be delivered by third sector providers and focus on ensuring that people experiencing distress and mental health problems can access help when they need it. The services also recognise that responses need to be person centred, easy to access and meet a wide range of needs.

The services form a central component of ‘Thrive Edinburgh’ – Edinburgh’s all ages mental health strategy – and have the potential to improve outcomes for people by promoting the strategic principle of prevention and early intervention.

Edinburgh Lord Provost Frank Ross, Chair of the Thrive Edinburgh Assembly, said:

It’s well known that quality of life in Edinburgh is fantastic. It is a place to live and work that is second to none. However, when you look closer there are still too many citizens who aren’t receiving the help they need. I am delighted that the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership is committing so much to providing open access mental health services over the next five years. This is a fantastic example of Edinburgh Thrive coming to life and will make a significant difference.

Angus McCann, Chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, added:

We are committed to listening to the people of Edinburgh and providing the health and social care service that’s right for them. Our open access model of mental health services provided by the third sector allows more people in Edinburgh to benefit from the support they need, when they need it. Local Thrive teams, carers support and safe places for people to connect are just some of the ways in which the new contracts will make a difference to mental wellbeing in Edinburgh.

The nine services receiving funding

Service Short Description
Thrive Welcome Teams (one in each locality) Employment of Thrive Welcome Workers and Peer Workers working as part of an integrated team with health and social care staff
Thrive Locality Team

(one in each locality)

Includes emotional and psychological support; reflecting characteristics of local population
Places and Spaces Providing safe places for people to connect that are inclusive but not exclusive; maximising use of the city’s assets; include a focus on evening and weekend opening
Physical Activity and Green Spaces Maximising the city’s assets for physical activity
Arts and Creativity Delivering to a year-long “A Sense of Belonging Arts Programme”, administering a grants programme and maximising the city’s cultural assets
Peer Development Community of practice to support development of peer workers and peer work across the city
Service User Led Research To ensure there are increased opportunities for service user-led research which reflect the priorities identified by the Thrive Partnership.
Carers Support Supporting carers as new services are developed
Service User led Support Groups To support peer led self-help / support groups for people with mental health conditions

Recognising the value of the third sector

By awarding such significant and sustainable funding to third sector mental health services, the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board recognise the role of the third sector in Edinburgh’s long-term strategic aims to promote mental health.

The nine funded initiatives will plug into the ongoing work of the City Vision, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Edinburgh’s Poverty Commission, the Community plan and City Region Deal. At the heart of this work is a strong commitment to encourage self-esteem, family strength and joy, and reduce the toll of mental illness on individuals, our communities and our city.

Supporting the development of the Edinburgh Pact

The service specifications for the nine new mental health services were developed through in-depth, open and honest conversations with each potential provider. This supports the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board’s ongoing commitment to understand what health and social care means to people in Edinburgh and deliver the service that’s right for them – creating an ‘Edinburgh Pact’.

The first step towards forming the Edinburgh Pact and creating a different type of relationship with communities and organisations across the city has been listening and learning to what health and social care means to the people of Edinburgh. The nine new mental health services receiving funding deliver a range of support and interventions to ensure that people get the help they need, when required.