How finding out 'what life is like' is boosting mental health care in Blackpool
Having a friendly chat with vulnerable people in Blackpool is helping to give them a better life.
Mental health teams in the town adopted the '3 Conversations' approach in 2023 which is aimed at understanding ‘what life is like’ for someone by swapping lengthy assessments for more informal support.
The first conversation discovers the depth of a person's need and for some there may be a straightforward solution such as connecting them with a community group.
For those in crisis, the second conversation will put together a recovery plan, while the third conversation sets out long-term support.
Blackpool Council's Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee heard the approach had been successful, with councillors told the use of "less formal language has helped make the process feel less daunting and intimidating."
Karen Smith, director of Adult Social Services at Blackpool Council, said the best outcome for some people came from an informal conversation to find out what the community could offer them, for instance if they were lonely or isolated in their own home.
She told the meeting: "There was one lady who did not live very far away from a community centre, but she was reluctant to go out because she had been in hospital for a long time.
"But finding a volunteer or a community connector to support her, helped her to go out. So it's about making sure it's the right thing, and for some people that's a wrap around service and for others it's something different to build up that strength."
Committee chair Coun Kim Critchley welcomed the report and said: "It's about making use of what the community has in Blackpool where we have some fabulous communities. It doesn't cost anything to make those connections."
A report to the committee adds: "People have said that not having to be concerned about jargon and not really understanding what is being asked of them has helped alleviate anxieties about being ‘assessed’.
"This has been the same for social care professionals who have shared thatthe approach has opened up conversations that they would not have ordinarily had and that this has helped build a fuller picture of someone’s life and the support they might need."