Good practice recognised in national crisis care report

Posted: 13/02/20

Houses of parliament

Staff attended the Houses of Parliament last Tuesday for the launch of the National All Age Crisis Care Pathway report. The report highlights the best examples of crisis care in England, and included several of our services.

The report praised Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust’s Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team and Initial Response Service in Sunderland for their compassionate, comprehensive assessment and care.

[The Initial Response Service is a success because] it’s part of the whole system change. It works so well because we have a fab Liaison team, well-resourced community mental health teams, good flow through our inpatient units and such a robust urgent care pathway.

Stewart GeeTechnical Director of Trust Innovations at CNTW

The Sunderland Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team was included as an example of working collaboratively with families, friends and carers of someone in crisis. They include carers’ needs in routine team discussions. Individual appointments for carers to explore their needs are also provided.

The Respond Multi Agency Training is also featured. CNTW developed this training in partnership with a range of other local organisations and people with lived experience. It equips staff to respond quickly and appropriately to a crisis, using real-life scenarios. This teaches the collaborative behaviour between agencies that is key to an effective crisis response.

It was an honour to attend launch of the report, and to see several of our services featured as examples of good practice. It was a fantastic afternoon, and a great opportunity to hear about other examples of good work.

Helen PikeNurse Consultant at CNTW

The Positive Practice in Mental Health Collaborative led the report. This is a service user-led collaborative of 75 organisations. Its aim is to identify and share the positive ways in which mental health services are working together. They share these lessons and ‘best practices’ through special interest groups, events, and reports like these. Their work aims to increase equal access to high quality mental health care.