Northumberland and North Tyneside Psychiatric Liaison Team – personalised patient information

The Psychiatric Liaison Team provides assessment of mental health, and treatment of any mental health problems, to people attending a general hospital. Although we are employed by the mental health trust and not the general hospital, we work very closely with the general hospital team

We are mental health professionals: specialist medical doctors (called ‘psychiatrists’), registered mental health nurses, clinical psychologists, other specialist mental health professionals, and administrative staff.

We are a 24 hour service based at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH)

The hospitals we cover are:
• Alnwick Infirmary
• Berwick Infirmary
• Blyth Community Hospital
• Haltwhistle War Memorial Hospital
• Hexham General Hospital
• North Tyneside Hospital
• Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH)
• Wansbeck General Hospital

We have been asked to see you by your general hospital team, who remain the team responsible for your overall care.

• Take part in your assessment, so that we can agree with you what needs you may have and how we might help them be met.

• Give permission to us to speak to others (for example, your family).

• Give permission for us to share information with others concerned with your care.

People who know you well, such as your family, can always speak to us; we will listen to them but will not normally share any information with them about you without your consent.

If you require an interpreter, please let your referrer know so that one can be arranged for you.

– You can be seen in a private area, if one is available.

– You can choose whether or not a relative, friend or advocate accompanies you.

– We will encourage you to be involved in decisions about any treatment offered.

You may be offered:
• An appointment to see us again, in the near future.

• Information and a choice of possible interventions by agencies that will be able to support any plan agreed with you.

After the assessment:
• The plan is written in this leaflet; this may be called a care plan when it is in your medical notes.

• Relevant information you gave to the psychiatric liaison staff will be given to the hospital team looking after you.

• You have the right to receive copies of any letters written to your GP.

Our postal address is:
Psychiatric Liaison Team
Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital
Northumbria Way, Cramlington
Northumberland, NE23 6NZ Our telephone number is: 0191 607 2171

We use the stress bucket to explain how everyday stress can build up and up and feels too much sometimes. When we reach the limit of the bucket, stress overflows. We try and cope the best ways we know how. We know that some people have more to manage in life and their buckets can often feel very full.

For a copy of the stress bucket please telephone 0191 607 2171

Thinking about what your stressors are and how they impact you can help you make plans to keep yourself safe in the future.

What are my triggers and warning signs that my stress/ distress is overflowing?

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Getting through right now.

What will help me in the next few minutes and hours?
What do I need?

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Making the situation safer.
Can I make the situation safer around me e.g., not having more medication around than I need.

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What lifts my mood?

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What calms me down?

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What distracts me?

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Who are the people that support me?

Family/friends

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Professionals

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Emergency Professional support

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More information is available at Stayingsafe.net

Your plan of care which has been agreed upon is:

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Your GP_________________________________________________________

Samaritans Tel: 116 123 (24 hours)

If you want urgent advice from a mental health professional or it is an emergency, then you can contact your local Initial Response/
Crisis Team at any time, 24 hours a day every day of the year:
• Cumbria
Freephone 0800 652 2865 Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties – 07795 656 226
• Newcastle and Gateshead
Freephone 0800 652 2863 Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties – 07919 228 548
• Northumberland and North Tyneside
Freephone 0800 652 2861 Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties- 07887 625 277
• Sunderland and South Tyneside
Freephone 0800 652 2867 Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties – 07889 036 280

• GP ____________________________________________________________

• Anxiety UK: 03444775774, Text 07537 416 905 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm)

A national charity helping people with anxiety.
• CALM: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight, 365 days a year)
CALM Campaign Against Living Miserably, mental health support whatever you are facing.

• Combat Stress (Veterans): 0800 138 1619 (24hr)
Mental Health Services for Veterans

• Crisis Text Line: Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 (24hr)
A free confidential 24/7 messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support.

• MIND: 0300 123 3393, (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)
We’re Mind, the mental health charity. We’re here to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone.

• Rape Crisis Helpline: 0800 035 2794 (Mon-Thurs 6pm-8.30pm, Fri 11am-2pm)
Help and support after rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse or any form of sexual violence.

• Samaritans: 116 123
Works to make sure there’s always someone there for anyone who needs someone. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

• SANEline: 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm-10.30pm 365 days a year)
Provides an out-of-hours helpline offering emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness.

• Someone Cares (survivors and supporters of abuse):
0191 257 8094
A free counselling service for survivors and supporters of abuse, specialising in childhood sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault.

Northumberland
• Carers Northumberland: 01670 320 025
A charity which provides information and advice to unpaid carers. They can support carers in accessing help for the person they care for, reduce their feelings of social isolation and empowering them to have a voice.

• Northumberland County Council (Housing): 0345 600 6400
Provide information about housing services and benefits, and guidance for landlords and tenants.

• Northumberland Recovery Partnership: 01670 798 200
A dedicated service for anyone experiencing problems with drugs and alcohol.
• NHS Northumberland Talking Therapies: 0300 3030 700
Offers free psychological treatment for people aged 16 and over who have a GP in Northumberland. Provides one-to-one talking therapy for depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health related problems. Also offer Couples Therapy for Depression.

• Social Services: 01670 536400

North Tyneside
• Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (under 18): 0191 219 6685

• Cruse Bereavement: 0191 276 5533
Provide bereavement support and information.

• Housing Advice: 0191 643 2520 (Out of Hours 0191 200 6800)

• North Tyneside Carers’ Centre: 0191 643 2298
Provide a confidential support service to carers, from information, advice and guidance to emotional support and training, we’re here.

• North Tyneside Recovery Partnership: 0191 640 0180
NTRP is a dedicated service for anyone in North Tyneside, who is experiencing problems with drugs and/or alcohol. The service does not have any age restrictions therefore is able to provide support to those of all ages. We are here to help you get well and stay well.

• NHS North Tyneside Talking Therapies: 0191 295 2775
We provide evidence-based psychological treatment for anyone experiencing a common mental health condition that impacts on their daily life. These may include stress, depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress. We can also provide specialist support for people with long-term conditions such as COPD, heart disease and diabetes to help with anxiety and/or depression related to this.

• Social Services: 0191 643 2777

We will usually only see you if you have given your explicit consent. Similarly, you are free to opt out of seeing us at any time. Anything you say is treated in strictest confidence and will only be shared with other members of the team and with other people involved in your health care, such as your GP.

Members of the team work within professional Codes of Conduct and follow NHS Policies that ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times. The only exception to this would be if the Team believed that there was a significant risk you would seriously harm yourself or others, or information was obtained about possible harm to vulnerable people such as children.

If you have any concerns at all about confidentiality please speak to any member of the team.

There is a range of patient and carer information on the Trust’s website – www.cntw.nhs.uk/resource-library –¬ which includes information on mental health and wellbeing, information on medicines, side-effects and how to manage them and mental health act information leaflets in 28 languages.

There are also 23 self help guides written by NHS clinical psychologists with contributions from service users and healthcare staff. Titles cover Depression and Low Mood, Stress, Controlling Anger, Panic, Sleeping Problems and Anxiety.
www.cntw.nhs.uk/selfhelp

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 www.cntw.nhs.uk/contact/complaints/
• telephone the Complaints Department Tel: 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected]

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 survery, available 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
Tel: 0800 032 0202 Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS 

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
Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre

2024 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref, PIC/782/0324 March 2024 V8

www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2027