Crisis Services and how to access them – a national plan, a local review and latest info.
Over the last year, a range of Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan agencies have come together to look at services for people in crisis and how to access them.
The process was started nationally by a group called the Crisis Care Concordat – including Health, Police, Ambulance, local authorities, third sector, and this is mirrored in the local Crisis Care Concordat Group. It was established following the research report- ‘Beyond the Call’ – See Access to emergency services in a mental health or welfare crisis: national review
You can see the National Action Plan, which is being implemented in Cardiff & the Vale here: Crisis Care Concordat
The key aims are to ensure that:
• Earlier help and support are available to people of all ages from a range of agencies including health, social care and third sector.
• Service providers work together in partnership to deliver high quality services in a joined up and co-ordinated way
• That support, care, and treatment is person centred and designed to meet the needs of people from different communities
• That the availability and use of non-clinical safe places to go when people are in need is increased
What is a ‘Crisis’?- the Definition
This Action Plan focuses on ‘providing timely help, advice, care, support, and treatment for anybody who feels overwhelmed and unable to cope emotionally and/or psychologically. It says, ‘the terms ‘crisis’ and ‘crisis care’ covers a wide range of conditions and situations that will usually require a multi-agency response’ …’Whatever people’s urgent needs are, meeting them will require readily available advice and/or services that are easily accessible…A key challenge in planning, and delivering a responsive service is recognising that each person’s perception of crisis is individual. What for one person may feel manageable may for another feel overwhelming.
Locally we need to develop the following:
1. A Local Multi- Agency Protocol
2. Ensure Out of Hours Access – a Safe place to go -Develop plans together to ensure that people of all ages who are experiencing early signs of a personal, emotional, or early-stage mental health crisis have ‘out of hours’ access to a ‘safe place to go’ service/facility, and an online or telephone-based service, for respite, safety, or to help avert a crisis.
3. Crisis Plans- People of all ages receiving a secondary mental health service have a high quality ‘Crisis Plan’.
4. New 24/7 telephone service for access to help in a crisis – Tel 111 Press 2 for Mental Health and clear referral/signposting pathways
5. Staff in contact with people in distress have the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to ensure compassionate and supportive care
6. People discharged from psychiatric in-patient care followed up by the service within 72 hours of discharge and have a comprehensive care plan
7. Seek regular Feedback and Views from people of all ages who have used crisis care services and act on it.
8. Public sector services that manage/commission facilities caring for vulnerable persons have a robust ‘missing person’ protocol in place.
Locally we have …..
• A local Crisis Care Concordat Steering Group and working groups:
• Setting up the telephone helpline- ‘111 Press 2 for Mental Health’ service in Cardiff and the Vale – extending the current 111 service to provide access to support in a crisis
• Developing a Crisis Sanctuary
• Mapping training for people providing crisis services
• Reviewing the Missing Persons Protocol
• A Communications Plan
If you want to find out more, please let us know- email [email protected]