Universal Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team – Newcastle and Gateshead

This leaflet provides you with information that you need while in contact with the Newcastle and Gateshead Universal Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHT). If you are not sure about anything in this leaflet please ask a member of staff.

The Universal CRHT is a team of experienced mental health staff, including nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, psychological therapist, peer supporters and pharmacy staff. We provide assessment and home treatment for people of all ages experiencing a mental health crisis, as an alternative to hospital admission.

The Universal CRHT has three specialist pathways for Older Adults, Working Age Adults and Young People.

The team operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However the crisis team does not provide an ‘emergency’ service such as a 999 response.

The Universal CRHT has a Freephone number: 0800 652 2863 (24 hours every day)

Mental health crisis can mean different things to different people. Crises cause a significant disruption to your life and your ability to function. It may be an existing problem suddenly getting much worse or the first experience of a psychiatric problem due to major life event.

You will have been referred to the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team because someone felt you may need extra support with your mental health. This may be from the crisis team, or may be from a more appropriate service that the Crisis Team can signpost you to.

You, your carer, relative or health professionals can contact the team for advice.

Once you have been referred to the team, we will contact you as soon as possible, normally by phone, to arrange a convenient appointment at an agreed venue (or via online consultation if preferred)

We will meet with you to complete an assessment. This is normally carried out by two health care professionals who will talk with you about your current situation and how you have coped with similar situations in the past. We will also ask you about your health, lifestyle and medication. We will then discuss options to try to resolve the crisis. A summary of this assessment will be sent to your GP.

You can have a family member, friend or carer present during the assessment to offer support. Information from this person may also help us to further understand your situation.

We will work with you until the crisis is resolved.

If you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the assessment it may not be possible or appropriate to carry out the assessment at that time and alternative arrangements will be made.
The Universal CRHT will be happy to consider the following if required:

• You are able to state your choice for a male or female clinician.
• You can have your family or someone close with you during your appointment.
• We can organise an interpreter if English is not your first language.
• The time and venue of the appointment can be negotiated.

Home Treatment will involve regular contact with the Crisis Team either at home or at a venue of your choice, as well as telephone support.

When you begin home based treatment, the team will agree a treatment plan with you and, where appropriate, your carer, family or close friends.

The Crisis Team operates 24 hours a day so you are likely to see several different clinicians during your treatment.

Crisis staff will discuss the frequency of your visits which will be agreed in your treatment plan.

Home treatment may involve:

• Intensive support managing your diagnosis and crisis situation.
• Offering practical support e.g. advice on housing, benefits or debt.
• Responding to the need of carers, including the offer of a Carers Assessment and support specifically for them in order to alleviate their stress and worry.
• Monitoring and reviewing your medication.

If you are admitted to hospital we will try to make your stay as short as possible. You will be given information about the ward and contact details for your friends and carers.

We will start to plan and prepare for your discharge as soon as we can, because we recognise that people can recover more quickly if they are treated in their own home with familiar surroundings and their family and friends close by.

You will be given a copy of your plan of care.

Before discharge from the Crisis Team, a plan will be discussed with you regarding onward care and treatment for your mental health, once your current crisis is resolved.

A copy of your assessment and discharge summary will be sent to your GP.

Where appropriate, relatives and carers are often part of the initial assessment and are often involved in the following home treatment sessions.

We will put you in touch with local carers support networks and offer a Carers Assessment on request. This is an important part of the work the crisis team does.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has a Carer Promise. Please ask a member of staff if you or your carer would like a copy of this booklet.

There may be instances when you or others are deemed to be at risk, making it necessary to share this information with other professionals.

All crisis teams are aware of ‘Commonsense Confidentiality’ to guide them about dealing with the concerns expressed by relatives or carers. There is further information in the Carer Promise leaflet. Please ask a member of staff if you would like a copy of this booklet.

Trust staff carry devices that can monitor and record abusive behavior. They can alert and receive support from emergency services and the recordings may be used in court proceedings.

You are able to access the team 24 hours a day to discuss your care.
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This plan will be reviewed regularly, aiming for discharge from the Crisis Team on
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Yes, you can ask for a second opinion. We will discuss options with you and arrange for this to happen either from another Psychiatrist in our team or by asking an appropriate external team.

You can apply to see your records by contacting CNTW Disclosures team and asking for an application form. You can ring them on 0191 246 6896 or email them at [email protected]

The team have access to interpreters and can offer these at appointments with you and your family.

This might be:

• Face-to-face in any given spoken language
• Spoken Video Remote Interpreting
• Face-to-face British Sign Language (BSL)
• Non-spoken Video Remote Interpreting
• Telephone interpreting service
• Translation and proofreading of documents service
• InterpretersLive (Deaf BSL)

Advocates can help you with a range of issues from making an independent complaint about your care and treatment, as well as general support.

We can tell you more about advocates and bring you a leaflet.

• PALS – Patient Advice and Liaison Service
  Newcastle: 0800 032 0202
  Gateshead: Freephone: 0800 328 4397 or Tel: 0191 441 6616

  Provides information and advice about local NHS services and support organisations and helps sort out problems with NHS services.

• North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy
  The Executive Centre, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, NE8 3HU
  Tel: 0808 802 3000
• North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA) provide help and support to people living in Newcastle and Gateshead who want to formally complain about the NHS.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.cntw.nhs.uk (click on the ‘Contact Us’ tab)
• telephone the Complaints Department 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected] Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk
• We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.
  You can provide feedback in the following ways:
  – the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at
  www.cntw.nhs.uk/poy
  – complete a Points of You survey, available from staff.

Working age adults

• Carers Centres
  Newcastle Tel: 0191 275 5060
  Gateshead Carers Association Tel: 0191 490 0121
  Gateshead Crossroads Carer Services Tel: 01207 549 780
• North East Council on Addictions (NECA)
  Tel: 0191 222 1262
• Tyneside MIND
  Tel: 0191 477 4545
  Email: [email protected]
• MIND infoline
  Tel: 0300 123 3393, 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday
  or TEXT 86463
• No Panic
  Helpline: 0844 967 4848, 10am – 10pm every day
• Rethink’s National Advice Service
  Tel: 0300 5000 927, 9.30am – 4pm Monday to Friday
• The Samaritans
  Tel: 116 123, 24 hours everyday
• Saneline Crisis Line
  Tel: 0300 304 7000, 6pm – 11pm everyday
• Silverline
  0800 470 8090 (Free 24 hour helpline for advice/support)

Older adults

• Age UK (Offers services in the community for Older Adults including signposting/groups and befriending)
  Gateshead 0191 477 3559
  North Tyneside 0191 280 8484
•  Alzheimer’s Society
  0330 3330 804 (Support and advice for patients/Carers with Dementia)

Young people

• Kooth.com
  Free online support for young people
• RISE North East
  The RISE team consists of professional Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) who work with children and young people in schools across Newcastle and Gateshead to help them manage emotional and mental wellbeing.
• Childline:
  0800 1111 (24/7 hour support)

Text Messaging Services:
YoungMinds Crisis Messenger:

Text YM to 85258
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need urgent help, text for free.

Shout text messaging service:
Text SHOUT to 85258
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need urgent help, text for free

Useful websites

• Supportline
  Confidential, emotional advice and support to assist people during a crisis.
• The NHS website
  www.nhs.uk
  Information about conditions, treatments, local services and healthy lives.

Newcastle and Gateshead Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team
St. Nicholas Hospital
Jubilee Road
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3XT
Freephone 0800 652 2863

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Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre
Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2022 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/809/0623 June 2023 V4
www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2025