Mental Health Services
Mental health and decision makingPsychological and mental wellbeing servicesSpecialist Community Care Mental Health Services
NHS Bedfordshire commissions mental health services from a range of providers, including NHS trusts, community and voluntary organisations and independent providers.
Mental health and decision making
This section provides you with information on mental health law. There are three areas:
The Mental Capacity Act area has information about making decisions about your health, welfare and finances and who makes decisions on your behalf you cannot.
The Mental Health Act area will have information for detained patients, their families, carers or people who just want to know more about sections of the Mental Health Act 1983. This area will be set up in October 2008.
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards area will provide safeguards to protect vulnerable people who are unable to make decisions and are detained in hospital or a care home but not under the Mental Health Act. This area will be set up in April 2009.
Psychological and mental wellbeing services
The service provides support for people with common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and panic.
A patient information leaflet on the different types of support is available Choosing Psychological Therapies in NHS Bedfordshire leaflet
You can be referred to the service by your GP, health professional, voluntary sector, service user or carer group. You can also refer yourself to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (cognitive behaviour therapies) service by calling 0845 602 4064 .
Our services include:
- Self help
Self help treatments are aimed at people with mild to moderate common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Assisted by telephone support from a Wellbeing Advisor you work through either a workbook or an online computer package , which helps you to take steps in order to improve your quality of life.
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behaviour therapy is used to treat common mental health problems such as depression, panic, phobias, stress and obsessive compulsive disorder.
We offer face-to-face sessions with a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. The therapist will work alongside you to help change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviours that are causing or maintaining current problems. This involves practical exercises or experiments worked on either with the therapist or at home.
- Counselling
Primary Care Counsellors offer a range of brief evidence-based therapeutic interventions. They are experienced in working with a wide variety of psychological problems including depression due to stressful life circumstances , coping with illness and injury and bereavement.
- Signposting to other services
If your needs are not met by our service we are able to refer you on to more suitable services. Practical support is also available for people referred into the service including access to benefits, housing and employment services.
The Citizens Advice Bureau will help you to understand your rights and entitlements, and also to take the first steps in resolving your problems. If you need more information on your rights or legal advice about what action to take, please contact an advisor or solicitor (www.adviceguide.org.uk/).
NHS Bedfordshire has prepared a resource directory to make it easier for you to find and directly access the help and support you think you might need. It aims to give an explanation of what services are on offer and contact information to enable you to follow up a number of routes to obtain the information you require.
Document downloads
Useful links
- You can download a number of self help booklets from the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation website
Specialist Community Care Mental Health Services
Specialist mental health services are provided by South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT), these include;
- Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs)
CMHTs are multi-disciplinary teams offering specialist assessment, treatment and care for adults and older people with mental health problems in their own homes and in the community. Access to the CMHTs is through primary care, direct referral to the team or following admission to hospital. Involvement will range from short-term treatment and care management to continuing care support over an extended period.
- Acute in-patient care
These units provide assessment, treatment and necessary interventions for people experiencing a severe mental illness, which cannot be managed in the person’s home or the community. A place of safety (under section 136 of the Mental Health Act) is provided at Weller Wing.
- Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment services (CRHT) and Assessment Units
The Crisis Teams offer an intensive assessment and treatment service at home for people with acute mental health problems who would otherwise require hospital admission.
- Early intervention services
Early Intervention Services provide rapid diagnosis at the first onset of a psychotic disorder and appropriate treatment including intensive support for up to three years for people aged 14-35 years.
- Rehabilitation services
Rehabilitation services provide support to people experiencing an episode of enduring mental illness who need a period of rehabilitation following an inpatient stay to regain skills for independent living.
- Day services
Day services provide therapeutic and occupational activity programmes to support people with severe and enduring mental health needs living in the community and to promote recovery.
You can find more information on the www.southessex-trust.nhs.uk website.
For further information about mental health services commissioned by NHS Bedfordshire contact:
Senior Commissioner Primary Care Mental Health email Helen Hardy or telephone 01234 897187
Senior Commissioner Learning Disabilities email Michelle Bradley or telephone 01234 897054
Senior Commissioner Mental Health email Howard Shoebridge or telephone 01234 897050