The Mental Health Services for Older People directorate provides care and support to patients aged 65 years and over living within Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan with a diagnosis of dementia or functional mental illness, such as schizophrenia, depression, mood disorders and anxiety.
Inpatient Areas
We have 5 inpatient wards with a total of 70 beds at University Hospital Llandough and a Young Onset Dementia Ward which cares for patients with a diagnosis of dementia under the age of 65 at Barry Hospital.
Integrated Community Mental Health Team (CMHT)
Our Integrated Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) is based at University Hospital Llandough site.
This is a multidisciplinary team where local authority and healthcare staff including medical, social workers, nursing, therapies, psychology and admin staff work together to provide community care to patients and their families across the region.
The team is divided into four sectors covering the North, West, South and East and the Vale of Glamorgan. A large proportion of the community team’s work takes place in patients' homes as well as providing clinic sessions and group sessions in the sectors, following the principle of providing care closer to the patient’s own home.
Day Services
Day services are provided at the Assessment and Recovery Unit (ARU) in University Hospital Llandough (Tier 1) and Grand Avenue, Ely (Tier 2). We offer a service to people over 65 years old in both Cardiff and the Vale with dementia and functional mental health needs and a range of social and health care needs.
The ARU is an acute assessment day unit, and the Grand Avenue day centre offers extended assessment and recovery health focussed services to those with ongoing complex assessment, recovery and respite needs.
Care Homes Liaison
The Care Homes Liaison team is part of the MHSOP Community Team and provides support to patients in care homes across the region. The team also provides education and support to workers within the care homes.
REACT
The REACT (Response Enhanced Assessment Crisis Treatment) team is part of the CMHT and is a multi-disciplinary Crisis Intervention Team for older people, providing emergency and urgent support to older adults within the community.
This team specialises in the assessment of patients to avoid hospital admission when they are in a mental health crisis. This multidisciplinary team can provide quick assessment and intense therapies with the aim of assisting in the initial stages of recovery following a crisis. As this team is an enhancement of the Community Mental health teams they are only able to accept referrals from secondary Mental Health Services.
Liaison Psychiatry for Older People (LPOP)
The Liaison Psychiatry for Older People (LPOP) team works closely with patients aged over 65 in the 4 general hospitals of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. These include the University Hospital of Wales, University Hospital Llandough, Barry Hospital and St David’s Hospital. LPOP also cover Holme Towers.
If a patient or family member has any concerns about mental health whilst in hospital, the LPOP team can help.
Solace
The Solace team is based in Park Road, Whitchurch. The team provides support to carers and those diagnosed with dementia, depression or severe later-life mental illness with the aim to help prevent admission to hospital and deterioration in relation to being in hospital.
Support is provided in a variety of ways, including group support, telephone advice, educational groups, therapy groups (such as CST), information and signposting.
For more information, please click here.
Young Onset Dementia Service
The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Young Onset Dementia Service is a specialist and dedicated service for people who receive a diagnosis of dementia under the age of 65, and for their carers’ and families.
Finding Bereavement Support
To view our Finding Bereavement Support booklet, please click here.