Sunderland Psychological Wellbeing Service – Information for referrers

Sunderland Psychological Wellbeing Service (SPWS) provides a range of therapeutic interventions delivered in Primary Care Centre’s, GP practices and community settings.

The service is for people aged 16 years (who have completed Year 11) and over who present with mild to moderate depression and anxiety disorders, including:

– Mild to moderate depression
– Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
– Stress/Work related stress
– Relationship difficulties
– Family stress
– Loss /Adjustment disorder
– Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
– Agoraphobia
– Health Anxiety
– Social Anxiety
– Panic Disorder
– Specific Phobias
– Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
– Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
– Coping with illness / chronic conditions

We also offer general mental health assessment and advice.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of our service for your patient, our staff are happy to discuss this with you via our referral line on 0191 5665454.

We offer the following services:

Self Help Classes
Self-help classes are weekly sessions for 4-5 weeks. We offer a wide range of classes (lasting 60-90 minutes per class and running over a period of 3-5 weeks) including: Depression, Panic, Stress Control and Persistent Physical symptoms for people experiencing difficulties with pain and fatigue.

Guided Self Help
Individual work supported by a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner delivered via telephone or on line consultation. Self-help materials are used to understand and manage problems such as depression, anxiety, stress, panic, OCD, social anxiety, low self-esteem and health anxiety.

Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs)
Community Psychiatric Nurses work with people who experience co-existing problems with depression and anxiety. They utilise a variety of CBT informed interventions when working with people.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, active, and collaborative therapy. The therapist will work alongside the person to help change any unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours that are causing or maintaining their current difficulties. They will be given the opportunity to discuss their problems in relation to how they think about themselves, the world, and other people as well as how what they do, or don’t do, affects how they think and feel. A course of CBT will typically last between 8-12 sessions.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is a structured therapy for people with moderate to severe depression. IPT can typically focuses on the following relationship areas:
– Conflict with another person
– Life changes that affect how you feel about yourself and others
– Grief and loss
– Difficulty in starting or keeping relationships going.
Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
EMDR is used for individuals who have post-traumatic stress disorder/experienced single or ’one-off’ trauma that remains unresolved, which can leave them feeling overwhelmed and their brain cannot process the information as a ‘normal’ memory.
With careful preparation and the support of a therapist, EMDR includes focusing on the traumatic images, thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations of the distressing memory whilst activating the left and right side of the brain. EMDR can be a powerful and sometimes rapid treatment. It does not require detailed description of the trauma event, exposure work or homework outside of the treatment sessions.

Systemic Therapy
Systemic Therapy works in ways that acknowledges the contexts of people’s families and other relationships, sharing and respecting individual’s different perspectives, beliefs, views and stories, and exploring possible ways forward. Some common features of Systemic Therapy are that conversations are collaborative, and as the therapist comes from a not knowing position, there is genuine curiosity in the person’s story.

Carers Therapy
The Carer’s therapists can talk through with you how your caring responsibilities affect you and how you feel about the person you care for. The Carer’s therapists work with you on how you can create a healthier balance between caring and other aspects of your life.

Dual Diagnosis Worker
A dual diagnosis worker is someone who works with people who have anxiety and/or depression AND ongoing difficulties with drug or alcohol misuse. We would expect that if this is identified as an appropriate treatment that the person is also receiving help from a Drug and/or Alcohol Agency or has stopped drinking or using drugs at that point.
Employment Support Advisors
A service providing advice about training and employment opportunities for people with depression and anxiety.

As our service is part of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust we can assist with referrals to other services within the Trust.

We are not able to offer support with housing and employment issues. Please refer to the appropriate agency.

Patients can self refer on 0191 566 5454 and online using the self-referral form on our website www.sunderlandiapt.co.uk

GP and professional referrals may be made by telephone or post.
The referral should include:

– Referrer’s name, address and contact details
– Patient’s name, address, date of birth, telephone number
– NHS number (if known)
– Brief description of the problem and previous treatment
– Risk information (self-harm history, suicidal intent, ideation or harm to others)
– Current medication
Sunderland Psychological Wellbeing Service is happy to advise and discuss referrals.

People presenting with the following diagnosis would not be suitable for the service. A referral to the secondary care mental health teams may be more appropriate. Please contact us for further advice.

Disorders which may be unsuitable for SPWS
– Bipolar disorder
– Acute psychotic symptoms
– Complex eating disorders
– Schizophrenia
– Mania
– Major drug and alcohol problems
– Personality disorders (where this is the primary focus)
– Complex presentation / disorder which may require care co-ordination
– Significant issues in regard to self and others
– People presenting with high risk/high distress requiring urgent assistance should be discussed with the Crisis Team on 0303 123 1145.

Sunderland Psychological Wellbeing Service (SPWS)
Monkwearmouth Hospital
Grange Park Clinic
Newcastle Road
Sunderland
SR5 1NB

Referrer Line: 0191 566 5454
General Line: 0191 566 5450
Web: www.sunderlandiapt.co.uk
Email: spws@cntw.nhs.uk
Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk.

Updated: June 2020