Mental health

Mental illness is a leading cause of ill health and disability and ranges from milder and more common conditions such as depression and anxiety, to the less common, but more severe conditions, such as schizophrenia, affective disorders and dementia.

There are currently a number of community mental health teams, who provide advice, treatment, care and ongoing support to help people with mental health problems to live at home. The teams are made up of staff who work for a number of agencies, including nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, consultant psychiatrists, psychologists, and support workers.

They also provide specialist treatment and services, arrange residential or nursing home stays, other day care support and rehabilitation.

There are a number of services available in Plymouth for people with mental health difficulties some of which are highlighted below:

Primary Care Liaison Service

Plymouth’s Primary Care Liaison Service consists of specialist mental health workers who work closely with GP practices in the city. They provide a range of services from signposting to voluntary organisations to follow up appointments with a psychiatrist.

Referrals for services are usually made by a doctor.

The Community Forensic Team

The Community Forensic Team works closely with the Police and specialist inpatient units to support people whose mental health problems bring them into contact with the law. Referrals for the service are made by the prison service, the probation service and the courts.

The Assertive Outreach Service

The Assertive Outreach Service work with people who find it difficult fitting into mental health services, for whatever reason. The team works with people who have schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder or depression and those with dual diagnosis (mental health issues with drug or alcohol misuse). Referrals for the service are made by community mental health teams.

Insight

Insight is an early intervention team who work with people aged 18 to 35 who show early signs of psychosis, are experiencing their first psychotic episode, or have had psychosis within the last three years. Their aim is to provide support to improve people's chances of a successful recovery. Referrals for the service are made by health professionals and community mental health teams.

The Home Treatment Team

The Home Treatment Team works closely with community mental health teams and in-patient services at The Glenbourne Unit. They provide short term services and can provide home treatment as an alternative to hospital admission. Referrals for the service are made by health professionals and community mental health teams.

There are also a number of voluntary organisations and day services available throughout the city, such as Crossroads Fun and Friendship Centre and Plymouth and District Mind Association which provide support and advice as well as educational opportunities to enable people with mental health problems to develop social skills and prepare for employment.

Older people's services

There are community mental health teams for older people's mental health services.

Services provided include:

• Specialist services, eg dementia care
• Residential and short break services
• Day care at residential and day care facilities across the city

Referrals for services are usually made by doctors through to consultant psychiatrists. If you have a social worker, the social worker will make a referral on your behalf.

Once a referral has been made, a health professional from one of the community mental health teams will look at the referral, based on need and the level of risk identified. They will then make a decision as to the intervention required - it may be a face-to-face assessment, or referral to another agency for support.

An assessment helps to decide whether or not you are eligible to receive services. We use Department of Health guidance 'fair access to care services' to work out your eligibility for services.

A mental health service directory is available to download below:

Mental health services - resource directory [2.3MB]

To access more information and understand more about services available please use the left hand links.

Links to related information

• Adult social care
• Community meals
• Complaints, comments and compliments
• Direct payments
• Fair access to care services
• Mobility and transport

We also produce a range of leaflets and publications which you may find useful.

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