Mental health crisis support expanded in Lincolnshire

Thanks to funding from government and local NHS clinical commissioning groups, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has opened a new psychiatric clinical decisions unit (PCDU) based on the Lincoln County Hospital site and is expanding its home treatment teams, to better support patients experiencing a severe mental episode or crisis.

The Trust hopes to reduce hospital admissions and the number of patients travelling out of the area for hospital care.

Dr John Brewin, LPFT chief executive, said: “If you’re experiencing serious mental health problems, being away from your family and friends network is far from ideal. We want people to remain at home or as close to home as possible during their recovery.”

Patients will work with professionals to help decide the best treatment and support for them.

The unit can care for up to six patients at a time and will be supported by additional staff from the community home treatment teams, who can help prevent the need for hospital admission.

The Trust is recruiting around 35 additional staff, who will be working alongside existing crisis and home treatment teams and mental health hospital liaison staff at accident and emergency departments across the county, to identify those people who would benefit from additional assessment and home support.

Gareth Price, Service Manager said: “A service of this kind will have a positive impact on helping to reduce hospital admissions and provide our patients with better, quicker and more appropriate support.”