The referral process - professionals and practitioners

There should be no assumption that the Emergency Social Work Team (previously known as the Emergency Duty Team) will routinely take over unfinished work from daytime services except in exceptional circumstances, and then only with the approval of the Emergency Social Work Team coordinator. Daytime services must not commit the Emergency Social Work Team to undertaking any piece of work without prior agreement. Requests will be considered on merit and actioned at the discretion of the coordinator on duty.

Workers wishing to discuss the handover or referral of a piece of work to the Emergency Social Work Team should contact the service by telephone (01743 249544) at the start of the shift (4:45pm Monday to Thursday and 3:45pm on a Friday). If daytime workers are unable to speak to the ESWT coordinator in person a voicemail message should be left with up-to-date and accessible contact numbers on which the ESWT coordinator can call them back. It's not acceptable to send an email to the team and assume you've handed over a piece of work to us.

Information from daytime services regarding any agreed action by the Emergency Social Work Team must be followed up by email with care and protection plans, contingency plans and risk assessments attached or signposted. Where there's agreement to accept a mental health referral, daytime services must gather and provide relevant information in respect of the nearest relative and GP in addition to the care planning information above.