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| The
Gateway to Services in the UK |
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People who are mentally ill or recovering from mental illness should,
through Care in the Community, be able to receive appropriate care from
the right people in the right setting.
The NHS and social services
As part of the Care Programme Approach, teams of specialists work with people with mental illness to agree the programme of care that they need. The patient is supported by their own key worker and both users and carers are involved in the process as much as possible. The teams are made up of professionals from the NHS and social services and may include psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers and occupational therapists as well as workers from voluntary organisations.
Community Mental Health Nurses are trained in counselling as well as caring, rehabilitation and medication supervision to support individuals and often their families at home.
Social workers are able to assess mental health problems, understand how social circumstances affect them and advise, help and support individuals and their families.
Psychologists work in partnership with individual people, groups and staff to develop an understanding and treatment of problems.
Psychiatrists are doctors whose specialist training equips them to assess and treat mental disorders using therapy and drugs.
Occupational therapists can help people develop the skills they need to live independently and to get back to or cope with work.
The settings
There is now a broad range of settings where people can find support and treatment. Psychiatric services used to be provided only in hospitals or out-patient departments. Now, when mentally ill people need short-term hospital care, they can often receive it locally, usually in the District General Hospital. When they need longer-term care, homely surroundings can now be provided which balances a person’s need for independence with individual support.
At home where possible, help and support are provided by the mental health team in the home of the mentally ill person.
Day hospitals provide an alternative to in-patient care even for people who are quite ill. People attend during the day, returning home at night.
Acute units when patients are particularly unwell, a psychiatric unit’s protective environment helps treat them and re-establish them in the community. They can also be places of sanctuary for vulnerable patients and offer respite to carers.
Community Mental health and Resource Centres Some areas have a local base where people can meet members of the community mental health team.
Other centres which meet long-term needs include; day centres, drop-in centres, group homes/flats, residential care homes, nursing homes (some of which may involve a charge).
Your GP is the first person who can provide help for you or a relative and, if necessary put you in touch with the community mental health team or a voluntary organisation.
Your social services department is an alternative first step, if you wish. Ask for a mental health worker.
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