Guidance for primary care partners
On this page, you will find information on signposting patients to mental health services and the correct pathways you should take.
Before you start, please check if there is immediate risk to life
Do they have immediate plans to harm themselves/others or have they already harmed themselves and need medical attention?
Call 999 for an ambulance or the police
OR with the individual present, call the Urgent Care Hub on 0116 225 6847.
The Hub’s clinical staff can give advice, arrange for the patient to be assessed, and put in place support if needed (for example, via the crisis team if relevant).
Four questions to ask that may help identify what the individual needs:
Is the patient already open to a Neighbourhood Mental Health Team?
If yes, it could be worth contacting the team to check next steps.
What are your symptoms? (anxiety/lack of sleep etc.)
Could this be a physical illness? (a recent diagnosis, deterioration etc.)
Has anything happened recently that may be causing this? (a sudden debt, relationship breakdown, bereavement etc.)
What particular areas of your life is this impacting? (such as work, going out, relationships with family etc.)
If any of the above are relevant to the patient, they could be best supported in their community
Signpost the individual to a Neighbourhood Mental Health Café (NMHC)
Signposting an individual to a NMHC as an early step, makes sure they have support in the community and a safe space to go when they need it. They can attend in person, call or contact online, or you can refer them via LLR Joy.
For locations and opening times, visit the NMHC page.
What will the NMHC staff do?
Provide a warm welcome, give 1:1 support, listen to the individual and discuss their strengths and needs.
Navigate the individual to services or community offers that will be able to support them.
Offer coping strategies, work on a recovery plan, and contact other organisations that can support. The NMHC will welcome the individual back for as long as it’s needed.
If staff think urgent clinical input is needed, they will contact the mental health urgent care hub for advice and potential additional support. They will help the individual to act on the guidance, and arrange for them to attend the Hub if this is advised.
Once the individual has been advised to attend a NMHC
Consider if their issues are caused by a social issue, or symptoms that are impacting their daily life, or if they are presenting in acute mental health distress and need urgent help.
Click the links below to find out more on each.