Who is this for?
- People aged between 18 – 65 years old
Who provides this?
- East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership
Description
Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) offers specialist support to adults aged 18-65 in East Lothian.
GPs can refer to the team on your behalf if they feel your needs may require more specialist help. On receiving the referral the team will consider who is the most appropriate person to address your needs. You may be allocated and have an initial assessment with a worker.
Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)
CPNs work outside hospitals and will provide assessments at various venues such as out-patient departments, GP surgeries, and in some instances at home. CPNs provide support to people through difficult periods of their mental ill health. The CPN will work with you and learn about your difficulties, find out how you see your problems, develop your strengths, give support, information and advice. Together you will develop a clear “care plan” that will focus on Recovery. CPN’s may do significant short pieces of work with patients or if required on a longer term basis. This can include monitoring a patient’s mental health and be the first point of contact for the patient if they were to become unwell.
A CPN will help you with medication, its concordance and making sure you understand what you should be taking and when. They will also help to promote and undertaking healthier living strategies. Some CPNs will be able to offer more specialised therapy due to their extra training in particular psychotherapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Behavioural Family Therapy (BFT), and mindfulness.
CPNs can play a valuable role in helping family and carers understand and manage your condition. CPN’s also work closely with other healthcare professionals and liaise frequently with other community supports to facilitate and improve the quality of life for patients.
Community Mental Health Support Workers
Support Workers will work with the patient on an individual basis offering one-to-one engagement and support. Support workers may also run support groups and activities with patients and contributing to their on-going treatment and recovery. Support workers work outside hospitals and see patients at out-patient departments, GP surgeries, and in some instances at their home. They work with the CPNs, and may do joint working with the CPN or other team colleagues such as OT’s, consultant psychiatrists.
Support workers can also deliver specific programmes of treatment such as activity planning, motivational work, graded exposure. Along with looking at helping you to look at the return to work or voluntary work or give you assistance creating care packages.
Community Mental Health Peer Support Workers
Peer support workers can provide social and emotional support, through your own lived experience which can bring about a desired social and personal change. They can help you to engage more fully in your recovery experience. Peer support workers can also provide specifically designed recovery tools such as Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) and work within the recovery model.
How do I access this?
- GP referral
Is there a cost?
Free
Is there a waiting list?
Yes
Location information
- Patient parking available
- Wheelchair access
Opening times
| Monday | 9.00 am – 5.00 pm |
| Tuesday | 9.00 am – 5.00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9.00 am – 5.00 pm |
| Thursday | 9.00 am – 5.00 pm |
| Friday | 9.00 am – 5.00 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
