In February 2023, we started a pilot to look at an improved method of delivering mental health support and intervention into 24 hour care settings.
The pilot was delivered by four Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) in the county (Erewash, Derby City, Amber Valley & South Dales) in collaboration with Older Peoples Crisis Services. We are hoping to roll the pilot into the other areas of the county soon .
The project is designed to improve the quality of lives of those individuals living in 24 hour care settings and aims to make mental health support for these individuals more easily accessible. No Care Home will be excluded.
How does it work?
Each CMHT will have an allocated ‘Care Home Clinician’. The Care Home Clinician will offer each care home in their area a monthly clinic where they can discuss any care home resident who they are starting to have concerns about but who does not require a full CMHT assessment. This is an opportunity for discussion and for staff to be given guidance but does not involve CMHT staff meeting the patient.
This means that they can be supported to try and resolve any issues themselves which means more people living in 24 hr care can have access to specialist knowledge without having to wait.
Individuals requiring more intense support and intervention will still be able to receive this if clinicians feel it is needed. If the clinicians feel the person requires more targeted specialist assessment, they can refer into the CMHT to facilitate an assessment. If this is happens the person will have access to specialist support via the full CMHT, which are made up of Nurses, Non-Medical Prescribers, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Support Workers and Consultant Psychiatrists.
