Service description
Changes to appointment arrangements at our adult mental health community team sites due to COVID
The responsibilities of our community mental health teams (CMHTs) and and of our assertive outreach service are to meet the needs of service users who require the intervention of a specialist mental health team. They have statutory duties related to the Mental Health Act and to the NHS and Community Care Act, including health and safety.
There are eight community mental health teams providing a secondary care planned assessment and treatment service. They will work with the individual to determine the type and level of their need and agree the subsequent interventions and treatment that meet the service user’s needs. This might involve psycho-social interventions, medical prescribing or, if eligibility criteria are met, social care commissioning of services.
Service users are fully involved in their care and contribute to their plan of care, helping the service to understand what is needed to promote recovery. Part of the care will include structured activities which focus on individuals’ interests and strengths.
The multi-disciplinary team (MDT) is made up of nursing and medical staff, occupational therapists, psychologists and administration staff. The aim is to support with mental health needs, all aspects of daily life such as self-care, well-being and health promotion.
Each patient will have a care coordinator or lead professional and will be provided with a written outline of their proposed care, either in the form of an outpatient letter or a collaborative care plan. The aim of any plan is to promote wellbeing and recovery. Patients are seen in CMHT bases, mental health units or community hospitals on a one-to-one basis or in a nurse-led or medical outpatients’ clinics and their own homes.
Referral criteria
The types of illnesses people are referred with include:
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- severe depression
- personality disorder
- dual diagnosis
- Aspergers/autistic spectrum disorder (with a pre-existing mental health problem).
People requiring ongoing treatment are seen in clinics, appointments made at CMHT bases and through home visits.
Who to contact if you need an interpreter or information about disabled access
Please contact individual bases.