Freedom of Information Request – Ref: GHC-28042026-567756
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
1. A list of all services/pilots/programmes provided by your organisation that offer support, assessment or intervention to young people (aged 25 years or under) within 24 hours of a self-harm episode (defined according to NICE 2022: intentional self-poisoning or injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose).
2. For each service identified, please provide (where available):
a. Service name
b. Brief description of the service (e.g., aim and objectives)
c. Eligibility criteria (including age)
d. Access routes (e.g., telephone, walk-in service, referral from A & E/GP)
e. Service setting (e.g., online, community-based, hospital-based)
f. Availability (days and hours of operation) g. Geographic area covered
Our response:
| Service | Crisis and Home Treatment Team | Mental Health Liaison Service | First Point of Clinical Contact |
| Brief description of the service (e.g., aim and objectives) | An alternative to hospital admission;
|
To provide Emergency Departments and Acute Care Hospital Inpatient units with rapid access to specialist mental health assessment within 1hour and 24hours respectively aimed at avoiding unnecessary admission and facilitating timely discharge.
To provide effective mental health interventions in Emergency Departments and Acute Care Hospital Inpatient Wards to optimise the time the patient spends in these environments aimed at reducing length of stay. To provide connection with community services for mental health, addictions, housing, care support and primary care to accelerate the onward care of people into a community setting. To provide education / consultation to general hospital staff in the recognition and management of common mental health presentations including depression and anxiety, self-harm, alcohol and addictions, personality and eating disorders, psychosis, delirium and dementia. To provide advice and action in support of hospital staff in respect of the safe operation of the Mental Health Act and complex capacity assessments. To help hospital services meet NICE guidance criteria for managing mental health and psychological conditions and those co-morbid with long-term conditions. |
The First Point of Contact Centre (FPCC) provides a central point of contact for mental health referrals into Gloucestershire Health and Care Trust (GHC) Mental Health services, encompassing Primary and Secondary Mental Health Services and Learning Disabilities services across the county of Gloucestershire for external referrals
Referrals are processed and subsequently screened by registered mental health clinicians prior to onward allocation. The FPCC staff will identify the requirements of the referral and will direct to the most appropriate service in GHC or external agencies and should the professional referrers request be for a specialist opinion this will be directed to the most appropriate GHC service The FPCC other major function is delivering the Mental Health Crisis line for Gloucestershire via the NHS 111 Mental Health option and the 0800 169 0398 number providing support, advice, signposting and where indicated arrange access to an urgent face to face assessment for people of all ages in a mental health Crisis or concerned family or carers. |
| Eligibility criteria (including age) | Presenting in the Gloucestershire locality
Age range from 11 to end of life Those presenting with acute psychological distress who would benefit from a crisis response and / or home treatment to resolve the crisis and build resilience to future crisis. Those at risk of immediate and significant self-harm in the context of an emotional crisis, a mental health crisis or experiencing psychological distress. Those with a diagnosis of severe mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder or severe depressive disorder) showing relapse indicators where without the involvement of the team they would deteriorate to crisis point, or with an acute psychiatric crisis of such severity that, without the involvement of the team would require hospitalisation. Individuals experiencing a primary presenting problem of an Organic illness, Brain Injury, Severe Learning Disability, Alcohol and Substance Dependence/Misuse and those aged 10yrs and under will only be offered advice and signposting to appropriate services. Given the above, each referral will be considered on its own merits. |
Provide bio-psycho-social assessments, formulation and diagnosis for patients identified by hospital staff as experiencing signs or symptoms of mental illness, including mental health disorders, psychiatric symptoms related to patient’s physical health conditions and alcohol misuse/dependency.
Provide brief interventions, advice, sign posting and short-term support to patients with psychiatric disorders and/or social crisis Support in the assessment and treatment of Functional Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders, Dementia, Alcohol Related Brain Damage and Delirium to enable care provision within the general hospital setting. Provide interventions to patients with psychiatric disorders. Please see interventions available below. Conduct assessments of risk related to mental health including risk to self, members of staff and the wider public and to create short-term risk management plans. Provide expert advice in complex cases involving co-morbid physical and mental health problems for all patients aged 11+.and support around the Mental Capacity Act for those 18+ Signpost/ liaise with the Approved Mental Health Practitioner Hub to organise and conduct Mental Health Act assessments following discussion and agreement with CRHTT regarding least-restrictive options To advise on the safe discharge from hospital of patients with mental disorders, self-injury dementia or with alcohol related brain damage. To provide assessment of patients presenting with dependent, harmful and hazardous drinking behaviours and support medical interventions, provide patient education, motivational work, discharge planning and referral into specialist community services. To offer advice and training on the management of mental illness and alcohol misuse/dependency to medical staff, nursing staff, students and other professionals. To support Hospital colleagues in the development of relevant policy and procedures and to advise on issues of compliance with associated NICE guidelines, best practice principles and compliance with legal frameworks. To provide Co-streaming within Gloucester Hospital Emergency Department for those presenting with a mental health problem or those with a concurrent mental health problem alongside their physical health. To undertake independent reviews of Enhanced Care (1:1 supervision) from within the hospitals and ensure that care is provided within the Enhanced Care Framework. The responsibility for the initial Enhanced Care risk assessment and staff deployment rest with GHFT staff, as defined by the Enhanced Care Policy (A0397). |
The FPCC takes receipt of referrals from Health and Care professionals for urgent and routine referrals into GHC mental health services via e mail or post.
The FPCC also provides a 24/7 response service to Crisis calls made via NHS 111 Mental Health option 2, and 0800 169 0398 number for individuals or concerned others (this includes voluntary care services) where a person is in a mental health crisis or suffering with psychological and emotional distress.
The service will provide equity of access, with no discrimination on the grounds of age*, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, physical or learning disability.* If a child under the age of 11 requires a crisis response staff to follow the Under 11s Crisis Response Pathway with the immediate safety of the child being taken into consideration during their working hours contact to be made with Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Outreach Team and during out of hours contact may be required with EDT ( Emergency Duty Team) recognising the locality GHC Crisis Teams do not provide face to face assessment or home treatment for those under the age of 11. Consideration will be given at receipt of referral any appropriate reasonable adjustments the patient may require when accessing services. FPCC staff will ensure these requirements are communicated to the receiving team. |
| Access routes (e.g., telephone, walk-in service, referral from A & E/GP) | Referral from another health professional, via FPCC | Attendance and A&E – service co-streams with ED | NHS 111 (option2) |
| Service setting (e.g., online, community-based, hospital-based) | Community based | Acute/ED based | Telephone |
| Availability (days and hours of operation) g. Geographic area covered | 24 hours, 365 days a year
Gloucestershire |
24 hours, 365 days a year
Gloucestershire |
24 hours, 365 days a year
Gloucestershire |
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.