Community Treatment Team – South Tyneside – Palmer Community Hospital – Patient Information Leaflet

This leaflet provides you with information that you may find useful during your time with our service. If you are not sure about anything in this leaflet please ask a member of staff.

The Community Treatment Team provides assessment and treatment for people who are experiencing difficulty with their mental health.

The team is made up of a number of health care professionals including:

• Consultant Psychiatrists
• Psychologists/Psychological Therapists
• Registered Mental Health Nurses (Community Psychiatric Nurse)
• Occupational Therapists
• Clinical Support Assistants
• Peer Supporters
• Junior Doctors
• Pharmacists

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) is a teaching organisation and you may be asked if a student can be involved in your first appointment.

You will always be asked for your consent for a student to be involved in your care and treatment.

Sometimes when people are experiencing difficulties they may need to be seen to assess their current mental health and see how they can be helped.

The Community Treatment Team provides a service to adults aged 18 years and over. Our team accepts referrals from GPs, other health professionals, social services and self-referrals.

If friends or family members wish to make a referral, we will always seek your consent before proceeding.

Your first appointment can last up to two and a half hours.

During the first hour you will meet with a clinician who will focus on developing a shared understanding of your current difficulties. The Introduction to Me Leaflet (enclosed) will help you prepare for this part of the assessment.

Following this the clinician will have a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) discussion. This may include a psychiatrist, psychologist/therapist and a senior nurse.

The clinician will then meet with you again and a collaborative care plan will be completed. A member of the MDT may join this discussion.

The care plan will identify what your current needs are and who can help support with them. We will send you a letter outlining what you have shared with us during your assessment, a summary of the MDT discussion, and the plan of care.

We will also send a copy of this to your GP and other professionals involved in supporting you if appropriate.

Staff can provide you with health information leaflets which may include information about diagnosis, treatment, self help and support agencies. You can also access this information via our website www.cntw.nhs.uk.

You are welcome to bring someone with you to support you. If you would like a family member or friend to take part in your assessment, we would value their contribution.

If you would like an interpreter or advocate, this can be arranged prior to your appointment.

It is important to contact us on 0303 123 1145 in advance of your appointment if you need either of these services so that we can make arrangements.

CNTW will treat people with dignity and respect and expect the same in return. We want to ensure that our staff can work, and service users can experience treatment, in an environment that is safe and secure.

As part of the NHS, we have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse. Violence against our staff, service users and visitors is a crime. We will take action against anyone who behaves in a violent or aggressive way.

How to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website
• telephone the Complaints Department on 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected]. Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
• complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
• other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: [email protected]
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday

An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
  Telephone 0800 328 4397 or 0191 566 7074
• (ICA) North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy
  Telephone 0808 802 3000
• Samaritans
  Call us free, day or night, 365 days a year on 116 123
  www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/

Initial Response Service
Telephone: 0303 123 1145
Fax: 0191 566 7200
Email: [email protected]

Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk.

South Tyneside Community Treatment Team
Palmers Community Hospital
Wear Street Jarrow
Tyne and Wear
NE32 3UX

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre telephone 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2024 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref: PIC/517/1024 October 2024 V9

Website www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone 0191 246 7288

Review date 2027