Community Mental Health Teams in Manchester

Admission to the service is based on assessment against the following eligibility criteria:

• Individuals requiring ongoing specialist care for severe mental health problems, which reach sufficient levels of disability, severity, risk defined by stepped care principles and NICE Guidelines this includes individuals who are transferred/ stepped down from other secondary care mental health services
• Individuals with severe disorder of personality, often involving significant risk, where it can be established that there is likely to be a benefit from continued contact and support within the CPA framework.
• Individuals who have been assessed as having needs which meet National Eligibility Criteria under the Care Act (2014)
• Referrals from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for individuals approaching the age of 18 years may be considered for a period of joint working prior to full transfer of care, (transitional protocols should be applied in such circumstances as described the Joint Protocol for the planned transition of young people from CAMHS and Children’s Services to Adult CMHT people from CAMHS and Children’s Services)
• Individuals with mild learning disability associated with serious mental disorder
• The CMHT’s will provide input (in conjunction with drug and alcohol services) for people with a dual diagnosis of severe mental illness and substance/alcohol misuse
• The Care Act (2014) places a duty on the Local Authority, or the body charged with executing its functions in accord with S.75 Agreement and thereby the Trust, to carry out a needs assessment for all people who have mental health needs requiring care and support. A social care duty may arise when people are assessed in accordance with The Care Act (2014), even though no specialist mental health care provision may be required
• The Care Act (2014) places a responsibility on GMMH Manchester services to assess a Carer’s needs for provision of services, where the Carer appears to have such needs. The CMHTs will assess the impact of caring on a carer

The Community Mental Health team may not suitable for those with:

• Mild to moderate mental health problems, unless the persons social care needs meet the National Eligibility Criteria. Such people will have their needs met in accordance with the stepped care model, as underpinned by NICE guidance
• Acquired brain injury, unless this appears to have resulted in a mental disorder
• Primary drug or alcohol problem, as this will be coordinated through Drug and Alcohol Services
• Primary diagnosis of dementia

To make a referral, please send the form to the Gateway team via:

• Integrated Care Gateway
• Email: gateway@gmmh.nhs.uk

For further advice about a routine referral or to make an emergency or urgent referral please either:

• Contact gateway team on 0161 271 0260
• Contact the duty worker for the locality CMHT team which covers the neighbourhood/GP location, please see the contact information below. Each CMHT has a duty worker who is available to take calls and deal with any urgent referrals. This is available 9-5pm Monday to Friday
• After 5pm urgent referrals can be made/discussed via Gateway on 0161 271 0260 your query will be answered by the Home-Based Treatment Team

Referrals to secondary care mental health services are for people with severe and enduring mental health problems. In addition, referrals for complex psychological therapies, the Eating Disorder service, Perinatal service, ADHD clinic and other specialist services are also processed through the Gateway.

Once a referral is received, it is sent to the appropriate CMHT team to triage within 24 hours. The team review information from the referral, collate any further information if needed, and then prioritise for action as follows:

• Emergency (same day response)
• Urgent (within 5 days)
• Routine (within 21 days)

Following the initial duty assessment, a summary of the assessment including a plan will be sent to the referring GP. This will include a plan of care and treatment for those patients being offered secondary care input. This will be completed within 10 days of the decision being made.

If the person referred is not suitable for CMHT assessment, the team may forward the referral to psychological therapy services if deemed appropriate. Alternatively advice and guidance/signposting will be offered to the person, and to the GP who made the referral.

The GP will receive a response back including the named clinician who made the decision, together with their contact details, reason for why the referrals was not deemed suitable for CMHT assessment, and advice about GP management of patient.

Timescales:

Urgency of referral	Timescale of response	Criteria
Routine	All patients accepted to be seen as a routine referral, will aim to be seen within 21 days	People who have substantial and complex mental health needs which cannot be met by primary care, the IAPT Service or other community services Ongoing severe mental illness which is impacting on day to day functioning Has requirements under the Care ACT
Urgent	During working hours Urgent referrals may arise via telephone or in writing to the Gateway service and forwarded to the appropriate CMHT by Gateway/or by telephone direct the senior practitioner dealing with referrals (see contact information) Urgent referrals will be accepted and assessed by CMHT during normal working hours. An urgent referral requires assessment within 1-5 days from referral. The CMHT will contact referrers and the patient referred  to inform on progress of the of the referral Outside of working hours After 5pm urgent referrals can be made/discussed via the 0161 271 0260	Reason to believe that there is a risk of significant harm (immediate and serious risk to self and/or others) occurring as a result of a mental disorder, or suspected mental disorder, if no action is taken before the next community referrals allocation meeting, i.e. within one week The level of cognitive functioning that places the person at immediate risk of harm to self or others including carers (e.g. due to wandering, self-neglect, abuse) and physical/medical causation has been excluded Patient will have been ill enough to have seen by the ‘referrer’ who has knowledge of the patient and considers the risk for urgency to be linked with a perceived mental health problem Support network not coping or sudden loss of social support network resulting in risk to patient Assess urgently if mental health might improve with rapid treatment/medication. Urgency may vary depending on the nature of the behaviour, i.e. physical or antisocial Request to provide a medical assessment for a Mental Health Act assessment Assessment requested as part of a Safeguarding Adult enquiry (Protection of the Vulnerable Adult) where urgent protection of vulnerable adult is needed. Level of urgency may depend upon nature of risk and need for a protection plan
Emergency	Same day response	Immediate concern about risk to self /severe relapse of mental illness Patient is at risk of abuse/vulnerable and is in a location that is not safe. Patient may require home based Treatment as an alternative to admission.

 

All Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) teams now provide a ‘call psych’ clinic to facilitate requests for routine advice to GPs where a referral is thought unnecessary. This is a weekly bookable advice clinic with CMHT consultants and can be accessed by contacting the Consultants secretary who will arrange an advice appointment over the phone. This service does not accept routine or urgent referrals.

You can contact the medical secretary at any time during business hours and they will arrange a call within the call psych advice line time. The booking element provides assurance to GPs and reduces the risk of a number of callers being unable to get through if calls clash.

The Trust recognises that the times dedicated for the ‘Call Psych’ may not always be convenient. GP’s can also use the mobile phones attached to the Duty Mental Health Practitioner in each of the CMHT offices for advice relating to people open to our services.

Also GPs can seek routine advice from the named linked worker aligned directly to the GP Practice, and with whom the GP may have already developed a good working relationship.

Call Psych Lines

CMHT	Consultant	Telephone No	Date/Time
South Mersey	Dr Lui	0161 3582492	Thurs – 9.45 to 11am
Dr Blattner	0161 271 0793	Mon – 10.30 to 12pm
Dr Khan	0161 271 0979	Mon 11.45 – 12.30
North Mersey	Dr Matrunola	0161 271 0291	Mon 1 – 3pm
Dr Massie	0161 271 0291	Tues 10.30 – 11.00
Central West	Dr Varela	0161 271 0917	Fri 1pm – 3pm
Dr Suri	0161 271 0177	1pm - 3pm on Wed
Central East	Dr Hafeez	0161 271 0916	1pm – 2pm 1st & 3rd Wed of the month
Dr Mehr	0161 271 0914	10.30 – 12pm 3rd & 4th Wed of the month
North East	Dr Ergi	07747 865 675	Tues 12 to 2pm
Dr Arulafela	07747 865 675	Tues 12 to 2pm
North West	Dr Ajayi	07747 865 675	Tues 12 to 2pm
Dr Mbaya	07747 865 675	Tues 12 to 2pm

In line with the principles of recovery, the CMHT’s will work with patients and carers promoting recovery to support optimum mental health and independent living, at this point patients would be transitioned back to the care of their GP. Dedicated times for GP practices to contact the Team Consultant for advice or consultation will be provided. In cases of patient deterioration/relapse, reassessment will be offered via the CMHT.

Post transition support services can be accessed by GP’s or may be in place for patients prior to transition. These services include:

• buzz Health & Wellbeing Services who have neighbourhood health workers providing support for people to engage in community provision and activity. Contact: Pete Smith on 0161 271 0505 or www.buzzmanchester.co.uk
•  Recovery Pathways is a social care recovery and inclusion service. It offers support and activities that enable patients to live more independently and develop effective self-care. Contact: Charlotte Brown 07890996586
• GMMH run the Manchester Wellbeing Fund which is a 3-year programme to build long term community support around mental health issues and offers grants and funding to local community based projects www.gmmh.nhs.uk/manchester-wellbeing-fund
• The Manchester Case Management is an integrated care, multi skilled service supporting people identified at high risk of hospital admission. It’s embedded in the three localities; North, Central and South Manchester, being delivered through the Neighbourhood model and supports people for between 3 and 6 months enabling them over time to better manage to live well at home and engage with community groups and mainstream services as appropriate. Contact Peter.smith@gmmh.nhs.uk until the new Team Manager commences on 26^th October 2020 Joanna.moore@gmmh.nhs.uk