Agenda item - Formal Public Involvement

This is the part of the meeting when members of the public can formally ask questions of the Board or present a petition.  These need to be notified to the Board in advance of the meeting.  Ring the Secretary to the Board, Caroline DeMarco on 01273 291063 or send an email to caroline.demarco@brighton-hove.gcsx.gov.uk

14.1    Mr John Kapp asked the following question:

Patients’ statutory rights

“Please will the HWB confirm that the 30,000 depressed patients in the city have the statutory right under the NHS Constitution to a NICE-recommended Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) 8 week course if their doctor says it is clinically appropriate?”

14.2The Chair gave the  following response:

“Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy is one of a range of evidence based therapies offered by the Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service for the treatment of depression in people who have experienced depression on 3 or more occasions (in keeping with NICE Guidance).  The Wellbeing Service offers 9 week courses of MBCT and there is currently no waiting list for this service.”

14.3    Mr Kapp stated that there were only two facilitators for the Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service.  He asked if the answer to his first question regarding eligibility was yes or no.  

14.4    The Chair replied that patients did have a statutory right to NICE recommended MBCT courses if this was considered appropriate treatment.    

14.5    Tom Scanlon informed Mr Kapp that courses were run three times a year for 12 persons.    There was currently no waiting list.  Clinicians needed to make a judgment as to whether MBCT was an appropriate option for patients.    

14.6    RESOLVED- That the written question be noted.