Using these Procedures (Mental Health Social Work Teams)

The procedures in the Mental Health Social Work Teams section should be used by all the following mental health teams:

Mental Health Locality Teams

• East Locality Team;
• Mid Locality Team;
• North West Locality Team;
• South West Locality Team.

All new referrals will be processed by the Information and Advice Service and progressed to the Connect to Community Teams.  Following Connect to Community Teams intervention, if there is the appearance of eligible care and support needs that cannot be met within Connect to Community, cases will be passed through to the Mental Health area teams.

These teams are not mental health crisis teams and if someone you work with, or come into contact with via a referral / SIGNS or by other means, need support for their mental state please use the following mental health pathway for Surrey residents - this includes crisis pathways:

• Referral to GP surgery for review of mental state;
• Signposting should be provided to residents for crisis services such as: Mental Health Crisis Helpline 0800 915 4644 and the Mental health Safe Havens, these are open daily from 6 pm until 11 pm and they can also be accessed virtually. More information can be found on: Safe Havens: Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (sabp.nhs.uk);
• Referral can be made to Single Point of Access (SPA) who are the centralised entry point for mental health services such as: Community Mental Health and Recovery Service (CMHRS), Community Mental Health Team (CMHT, older adults), Home Treatment Team (HTT, crisis team) Referral form is attached, you can also contact the crisis line for professionals on 0300 222 5794 if you would like to discuss your concerns prior to referring;
• For imminent risk of harm, person to self-present to A&E. Practitioner to consider calling 999 to request ambulance or police assistance if necessary.

Please, as currently is also the case, do not re-assign contacts for individuals who are suicidal or in a mental health crisis to the team. This will create a delay with possible serious consequences. If you need support or guidance, please contact the team.

Specialist Teams

There are also several specialist teams in the Mental Health services who will also receive referrals directly:

• Mental Health Hospital Discharge Team;
• Enabling Independence Team East and West;
• Move to Independence;
• Community Forensics;
• S117 Team.

Note: The S117 Team do not case manage and so do not receive referrals. For further information about the remit of the team see: About the Continuing Care Team.

Mental Health Hospital Discharge Team: The Mental Health Hospital discharge team facilitate discharge from all Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust hospitals, and private contracted beds in and around Surrey, by completing s9 assessments under The Care Act 2014, and reviews for those entitled to s117 aftercare as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983. The team supports individuals from 18 -65 and those over the age of 65 within the older persons units and liaises closely with both Mental health area teams and ASC locality teams to ensure a smooth transfer into the community.

Enabling Independence Team (EIT): The Enabling Independence Team (EIT) service is a county wide offer within Adult Social Care mental health services for people who are ordinarily resident in Surrey. The service is free of charge and offers a short to moderate term intervention for people experiencing mental health difficulties and/or substance misuse issues.

Referrals regarding people who have mental health and/or substance misuse needs are received from the relevant area mental health or specialist locality teams or for those not appearing to require long term social care input but are under secondary mental health services. All input is reviewed after six weeks with a maximum of 12 weeks to be offered.

Move to Independence Team: Move to Independence is a low-level supported living service for those people with mental health and or substance misuse needs where the aim is to support people into independent accommodation after a maximum of 2 years. The service adopts a strengths-based approach to support development of independent living skills and accessing the community. The referral pathway is internal via locality mental health and specialist teams.

Community Forensics: The Forensic Social Care Team is a county wide team who work alongside health Forensic Outreach Liaison Service (SABP) and manage people with secondary mental health issues and who are either high risk offenders or offending (sexual, fire setting and violence offences to others) and or those subject to part 3 of the MHA (s.37, s.37/41, 48.49, 47/49).

Substance Misuse Social Care Team: The Substance Misuse Social Care Team is a county wide team who provide specialist assessment and services to people with drug and alcohol addiction within the Care Act. This is a recovery focused service meaning this team work alongside people in recovery or in crisis. The team assess within the meaning of the Care Act to support people in the community in a strengths-based way. The team also works alongside the health treatment pathway, hospital teams and wider locality teams in a partnership approach. The team also manage a separate rehabilitation pathway which includes assessment and rehabilitation options.  

Connect to Community will progress new referrals for individuals with substance misuse care and support needs.  The rehabilitation pathway referrals will continue to be processed directly by the Substance Misuse Team.