Understanding your care and support team

The care co-ordinator carries out assessments of a person needs and works alongside the individual and their carer to develop a care package. The care co-ordinator is responsible for writing the care plan and ensuring that it is reviewed regularly.

Doctors and other specialists saw me as necessary, and my 'care co-ordinators' who was also my community psychiatric nurse (CPN) , sometime a social worker - drew up a care plan and arrange the help and care that I needed. Care sometimes might include medication, sessions at a day centre, or help at home from a 'support worker' who can give emotional support and help with day-to-day life.

Psychiatrists are medically qualified doctors who have specialised in psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. A consultant psychiatrist is the senior member of the psychiatric team who has overall responsibility for a patient’s assessment and care

Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPN) - CPN’s are psychiatric nurses who work in the community rather than in hospitals. They may be attached to GP’s surgeries, Community Mental Health Teams, mental health centres or psychiatric units. They may also visit you in your home. The CPN’s role includes offering emotional support, giving help with exploring ways of living with your problem, anxiety management techniques and administering psychiatric drugs.

Clinical Psychologists are trained in Psychology and then go on to specialise, at Postgraduate Level, in the application of Psychology to Mental Health problems and related areas. Clinical Psychologists are a chartered profession and provide specialist psychological assessment and individual or group psychological therapy. All forms of psychological therapy aim to help individuals better understand their difficulties and work to find practical and constructive ways to overcome these problems. Therapy often starts with the client, or service user, identifying the key areas of concern that they have. A clear plan aimed at overcoming these problems will then be developed in a cooperative partnership between the Clinical Psychologist and the service user. Clinical Psychologists may use different forms of therapy depending on their particular expertise and the needs of the client. All therapy will have an evidence base, demonstrating that it works. Common approaches used include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Analytic Therapy and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. When you first see a Clinical Psychologist, you may have an assessment session to find out if a psychological approach is for you. After this session (or sessions) you may then be put on a waiting list before therapy can commence. You will usually see the Clinical Psychologist at the Mental Health Team Base and most sessions generally take about an hour. Therapy can continue for weeks or months.

Occupational Therapists work in an enabling way with individuals which is person centred and holistic. The Occupational Therapist can be care co-ordinators and may work with clients to help develop their personal or social skills, employment, education and training opportunities.

Social work education places emphasis on assessing and meeting the needs of the individual looking at their close relationships, families, communities and wider environment.

Social work balances the demands of society to control behaviours with support and care for the individual. Enabling and supporting people to become more empowered and self-determined is fundamental to the role. Within Community Mental Health Teams Social Workers undertake the following: -

Full complete holistic person centred assessment of need understanding where the individual fits into society and facilitates integration where appropriate.

Both Psychotherapists and councillors are trained to listen to people, giving them the time and space to explore important issues. They are not there to find answers to your problems but to allow you to find your own answers through guided discussions. People are often referred to counsellors because they ask to be and the GP believes the problem needs to be talked through. If you are referred to a counsellor, the counsellor will do their own assessment (normally within a couple of weeks) and if they think counselling will help will normally tell you how many sessions they think it will take, or how many sessions the can offer you. Many counsellors now work directly out of GP surgeries or alternately some voluntary and community agencies provide counselling services.

Community and STR workers carry out their work in both voluntary and statutory agencies and their actual role depends on which agency they are attached to. Generally speaking support workers assist individuals with daily living skills, developing social networks as well as helping people access the wide variety of other services on offer such as day and employment services.

Receptionists/Secretaries - Receptionists and secretaries perform a wide variety of tasks in supporting mental health workers including general typing, minute taking, arranging appointments and meetings.

Housekeepers generally work within inpatient units and have a role that includes cleaning both on wards and in the Hospital communal areas, checking levels of food on ward kitchens and the warming and preparation of cook chill meals.