Mental Health Social Work Team

What we do

The Mental Health Social Work Team provides social care assessments for people with mental health difficulties, as well as:

• Let's Talk Mental Health Hubs
  
• Signposting to other agencies
• Short-term input and goal setting
• Referral to an advocate
• Carers assessment
• Linking you to partner agencies
• Considering referrals for possible detention under the Mental Health Act
• Assessing eligibility for services

Our aim is to enable you to make changes and develop life skills, not to tell you what to do. 

You may want to talk this over with your GP first, who can arrange a referral if needed, or you can give someone else permission to contact us on your behalf.

You can also arrange to see us at one of our hubs around the county.

Mental health assessments

Approved mental health professionals (AMHPs) have completed a specific qualification that relates to the Mental Health Act 1983/2007 and the role of the AMHP.

Completing any assessment within the framework of the Mental Health Act is a last resort. To detain someone against their will to a hospital there needs to be evidence that an assessment or treatment can't be completed in the community.

If an AMHP receives a referral they're required to consider the case for compulsory detention under a section of the MHA. How this is completed will depend on many factors, and where possible we work from a person-centred perspective. This can take time, and if there are less restrictive options available these will need to be exhausted first.

Find out more from the Rethink website.

Our daytime service is available between 8:45am and 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 8:45am and 4pm on Fridays. You can call us on 01743 210174.

Out of hours the number to call is 0345 678 9040 (select option 1).