Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and local organisations have seen a reduction of repeat attendances for patients with a mental health condition at the county’s A&E departments.
The Mental Health Liaison Team from Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust supports patients who attend A&E with an underlying mental health illness and helps them to access the appropriate care or service they need.
They have implemented a new process to support patients with a mental health condition who repeatedly attend A&E by delivering person centred, co-produced care plans that are shared with organisations the patient is likely to come into contact with. They include Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, West Midlands Ambulance Trust, Police, and GP’s.
A plan is put in place whereby any patient who attends A&E 3 times or more within a month will receive a multiagency care plan.
Following its implementation, repeat attendances for this group of patients fell by 50% in year 1, 47% reduction in year 2; while maintaining that from the year prior. This is against a national reduction target of 20%.
Sally Burgess, Mental Health Liaison & Home Treatment Team said “The team have worked extremely hard, their tenacity and commitment is evidenced by the quality service that they have developed for a complex cohort of patients. We aim to continue with this work to ensure all patients who access the A&E departments at a time of crisis can receive the support they need.”
