Crisis care in action: Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind

Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind’s crisis care services are provided in close partnership with local health and social integrated crisis teams from Norfolk County Council and NHS Norfolk and Waverly Foundation Trust.

The services are financed through the use of personal budgets and direct payments, locality spot-funding and self-funders.

They provide real alternatives to acute in-patient care, enabling individuals to retain greater choice and control within a crisis episode, and they can help speed up recovery.

The rapid response service

The rapid response service, which has been in operation since October 2011, provides crisis intervention through an average stay of two weeks at Norwich and Central Norfolk’s Omnia rehabilitation service.

Omnia provides a person-centred residential rehabilitation programme for individuals with mental health problems, based near Norwich city centre. It has 14 beds with 24-hour support during an average six month stay.

There is also a 12 month after-care service with a 24-hour phone support service and access to programmes, and respite provision.

Its inhouse programme is tailored to the needs of the individual with access to a range of services including: complementary therapies, life skills, arts, drama and music based activities, counselling and stress resilience, as well as gardening, NIA, anxiety and anger management, Tai Chi, and nature and environmental sessions.

All these resources are available to people using the rapid response service.

The rapid response service looks with the individual at any existing crisis plan and, working at the person’s own pace, enables them to develop a person-centred support crisis plan. This may include issues that cause distress, practical solutions (for example to housing or financial problems), and what responses the person needs from others in order to manage their mental health.

As well as dealing with the initial crisis, individuals are supported to develop plans for a package of care for when they leave Omnia. The individual makes the plan their own for example expressing themselves through pictures as well as words. People keep links within their community and regular contact is maintained with their own care co-ordinator.

Omnia offers planned respite stays, for instance for when crisis may be triggered by the anniversary of a bereavement, and some people have Omnia respite support included in their support plans, should they require it.

Safeguarding is achieved through partnership working between NHS crisis teams and Omnia staff, good communications and adherence to clear procedures. Clinical support can be provided quickly on request of key Omnia staff.

Alternatives to hospital service

The alternatives to hospital service is part of Norwich and Central Norfolk’s outreach service and it enables people to be supported within their own homes during a crisis episode, using a person centred approach. The outreach services is based on a comprehensive person centred support plan agreed between the individual and the support worker. Goals, choice of support and frequency of review are determined by the individual. A personal assistance service is also offered.

The alternative to hospital service, which has been operating since October 2011, is for individuals with serious and or severe mental health problems at risk of needing acute psychiatric care. Its objectives are to:

• avoid hospital admission
• stabilise mental health
• enable the individual to have choice and control
• enable the individual to receive care in their own homes
• enable individuals to be treated in their own homes
• to be supported in a person centred way to come out of a crisis, as well as start recovery

Again the there is personalised support planning, close partnership working with the clinical teams, a safeguarding system, and access to Omnia services as well as outreach support.

The average stay with the service is six weeks.

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