Greater Manchester i-THRIVE programme

Background and aims

The Greater Manchester (GM) i-THRIVE programme was created in 2018 as an initiative derived from the national i-THRIVE programme.  he GM i-THRIVE team is hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and works alongside each of GM’s 10 local transformation partnerships (LTPs). The THRIVE framework for system change (Wolpert et. al., 2019) uses a whole system approach to psychological and emotional wellbeing that reconsiders the current multi-agency system. It is well recognised across GM that this scale of transformation will take many years.

Aims of implementing i-THRIVE:

• Promote a thriving, resilience and an asset-based approach for all children, young people and their families (CYPF) in GM.
• Transform culture, values, and practice across GM facilitating the development of a shared language and understanding in relation to the delivery of services for children and young people's mental health and emotional well-being.
• Promote collaborative and partnership working across agencies in the health, education, social care and voluntary sectors to ensure that the mental health and emotional well-being of CYPF is effectively met as early as possible.
• Bring together GM system partners to share learning and examples of good practice, whilst simultaneously address gaps in provision and develop greater clarity in terms of   existing and future provider roles, to develop clearer pathways to reduce the likelihood of CYPF falling between gaps in current service configuration.
• Utilise training to disseminate knowledge of the THRIVE framework, implement change and evaluate outcomes across the range of GM services and sectors working with CYPF.
• Develop a clear, consistent, user-friendly GM offer of advice and signposting for CYPF mental health and emotional well-being.
• Enhance access to high quality supervision and consultation to support the delivery of evidence-based, interventions across sectors, delivered at the right time by the right service/professional.
• Enable all relevant services to support CYPF who present as needing risk support.
• Optimise the use of specialist CAMHS services by supporting others to deliver appropriate interventions at different stages of the care pathway.
• Improve clinical efficiencies, reduce waiting times, improve the quality of services and CYPF’s experience of care.

Solution

In collaboration with the GM i-THRIVE Team, locality THRIVE leads work with health, social care providers, VCSE and education settings and their commissioners to identify the specific needs of children and young people within their regions, with the aim of implementing and embedding the THRIVE Framework for system change. The GM i-THRIVE community of practice, as an event-based forum, further facilitates shared learning, innovation and best practice.

In order to broaden the mental health offer, GM i-THRIVE developed an arts, culture and mental health programme in response to a wealth of research documenting the role of arts and culture in supporting young people with their psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Outcomes and benefits

Evidence is being gathered on a macro, meso and micro level. All 10 localities complete a THRIVE self-assessment every year measuring themselves against macro, meso and micro THRIVE principles. Implementation stories are collated to share evidence of THRIVE in practice. For more information, see the GM i-THRIVE webpage.

Surveys are sent annually to professionals in CAMHS and in the broader system and to children and young people in CAMHS and those who have been signposted to other services. This is to understand if embedding THRIVE is being felt by the frontline and our children and young people.

References

Wolpert, M., Harris, R., Hodges, S., Fuggle, P., James, R., Wiener, A., McKenna, C., Law, D., York, A., Jones, M., Fonagy, P., Fleming, I., Munk, S. (2019). THRIVE Framework for system change. London: CAMHS Press. Available at: http://implementingthrive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/THRIVE-Framework-for-system-change-2019.pdf (accessed 15/01/2021)

Additional information

• The most recent work from the i-THRIVE programme has been featured in the Greater Manchester creative health strategy. To read about this, visit the University of Manchester page and the Churchill Trust article.
• In December 2022 and January 2023, Sky News will be featuring the i-THRIVE programme in a broadcast piece.

• The World Health Organisation have requested that the i-THRIVE programme is represented at their arts in healthcare conference in Decemeber 2023, in Budapest. 

You can find out more about the i-THRIVE Programme by accessing the Greater Manchester i-THRIVE webpage.

You can find out more about the implementation sites of i-THRIVE by accessing the Implementing Thrive webpage.