LIVERPOOL, July 13 -- A new national service which will provide comprehensive
care and support for challenging mental health patients in their own homes
following discharge from hospital is being welcomed by lead clinicians and
patient advocates.

Vicky Wadsworth, head of the mental health department at Roebucks solicitors in
Blackburn, which acts on behalf of hundreds of patients, said: There is a huge
gap in care provision that this service can help fill.

Health service outreach teams are desperately overstretched and cannot provide
the sustained intensive treatment and rehabilitation support that many patients
require. In some cases, this means that patients can’t be moved on into
the community and so remain confined in secure facilities unnecessarily.

Dr Christopher Findlay, a leading community psychiatrist working in Runcorn,
said: There are limits to what Community Mental Health Teams can provide. There
are also limited in-patient beds. Any service that offers to work alongside
established NHS services to provide intensive safe alternatives to in-patient
care is to be welcomed, particularly those that are individually tailored and
committed to improved outcomes and the safe social inclusion of patients with
mental health difficulties. Working alongside and not replacing existing
services is an advantage for responsible clinicians who hope to establish a long
term relationship through the journey towards recovery.

The service from Gray Healthcare (http://www.grayhealthcare.co.uk) provides
sustained support for people who may or may not have been sectioned under the
Mental Health Act but who typically have a history of admission, medication and
treatment, discharge and re-admission.

The service is designed to build self esteem and independence. Patients will be
helped to obtain their own tenancy and will then benefit from appropriate
support provided by a multidisciplinary team including psychiatric nursing,
occupational therapy and psychological services.

The majority of patients being referred to the new service are those being
considered for discharge from hospital by their responsible clinician under a
Community Treatment Order (CTO). This means that the Gray Healthcare clinical
team will work closely with NHS staff to create a bespoke care, support and
treatment package, tailored to meet the needs and safety of the individual.

Jonathan Gray, Chief Executive of Gray Healthcare says: The Mental Health Act
requires us to care for people in the least restrictive environment that is
possible and our aim is to help those who have suffered mental illness move from
a secure hospital/rehabilitation setting into their own homes with the full
range of support necessary to do this safely and successfully. Our goal is a
safe and sustainable return to living in the community.

For more information contact Selwyn or Sophie at LMMC Ltd on +44-(0)1926611700
or email selwyn@lmmc.co.uk or sophie@lmmc.co.uk

SOURCE: Gray Healthcare

For more information contact Selwyn or Sophie at LMMC Ltd on +44-(0)1926611700
or email selwyn@lmmc.co.uk or sophie@lmmc.co.uk