Home Treatment (HT) teams are made up of specialist mental health professionals who can respond to acute mental health problems by providing intensive home-based therapies and support as a safe alternative to admission as an inpatient.

They also act as the "gatekeepers" who facilitate admission to in-patient care and who facilitate early discharge by providing intensive community-based support.

If hospital admission is required, then Home Treatment aims to keep admission to a minimum by providing early discharge in agreement with the service user / carer.

Home Treatment is based on evidence that rapidly responding to service users and their support network at crisis point can facilitate improved outcomes.

The service philosophy and aims are:

  • to develop creative ways of working that are appropriate to service user needs.
  • to remain involved in-service user care until a crisis has been resolved and service users are referred to appropriate care or services.
  • to actively involve service users, their family / carer as appropriate and to reduce their vulnerability to crisis and to maximise their strengths.

Risks of deterioration and harm to self and others can be reduced and this period is an ideal time to develop positive resolutions to distress. HT will work alongside the service user / carer to develop a care plan to meet individual needs.

This may include medication management, education, support, assistance to develop positive coping strategies and a relapse prevention plan to address any deterioration in mental health in the future.

When a service users’ mental health has improved to the point that their ability to self-manage has improved, their care will continue to be provided by their care coordinator and Community Mental Health Team.

Anyone aged 18 and over can be referred to the team through different routes including their Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), or you can self-refer via the CMHT from Monday-Friday between the hours of 9.00am–5.00pm.

At evenings and weekends, referrals are made via the out of hours service.