Mental Health Services for Older People Liaison Services
Within Mental Health Services for Older People, we have dedicated teams available to support our service users and carers with their needs. Our services are as follows:
REACT
The REACT team is a multidisciplinary service which offers a rapid response for assessment and delivery of intensive home treatment for people aged over 65 experiencing mental health difficulties or dementia.
The team also supports inpatients on discharge, where they may require additional support to help them settle back into the community. The team also support patients and their carers where there is a risk of carer breakdown or when the carers are struggling to meet the biopsychosocial needs arising from their loved one’s dementia.
The team undertake 4-hour emergency and 48-hour urgent community referrals. All emergency (4hrs) and urgent (48hrs) referrals are made during weekdays by GPs via the Mental Health Service for Older People (MHSOP) GP referral telephone line.
The REACT team work collaboratively with the Enhanced High Intensity Service (EHIS), which is part of the mental health services for older people (MHSOP) Day Service based in University Hospital Llandough (UHL). This service enables an assessment to be undertaken over 5 consecutive days to better understand an individual’s patterns of behaviour, triggers and any challenges with meeting their activities of daily living ( new link?) .The two services also work collaboratively to support carers.
The team are available between the following times:
- 8.30am – 8.00pm (Monday to Friday)
- 9am – 5pm (Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays)
Community Liaison Team
The team purpose is to bridge the gap between primary and secondary care services and to offer MH expertise into other teams. By working collaboratively with health, social care providers and community practitioners, the team are able to identify older people with mental health needs at an early stage. The team offers timely specialist advice, support and signposting. This service also provides support and education to carers, both formal and informal around behaviour management and positive approaches to care for people with Dementia.
Care Home Liaison Team
The Care Home Liaison team support people over 65 years living in one of over 70 residential and nursing home settings across Cardiff and the Vale. They undertake a number of functions including:
- Preventing placement breakdown by assessing residents, recommending and evaluating the use of antipsychotic medication
- Providing education to care home staff in positive approaches to care and understanding of more complex presentations of Dementia.
- Assessment and support to those with a deterioration in their mental health.
Additionally, they are responsible for reviewing those individuals under section 117 of the Mental Health Act (MHA) and supporting Continuing Health Care applications.