The West Lothian Older People’s Community Mental Health Teamprovides a variety of person-centred care and treatment for adults over the age of 65, who require specialised support for their mental health.
The team consists of a wide range of Health Care Professionals including: Consultant Psychiatrists, Psychology, Community Mental Health Nurses (CPN), Health Care Support Workers, an Occupational Therapist, a Social Worker and Dementia Link Workers.
The service provides a range of services including:
- Nurse-led assessments by a CPN
- Intensive out-reach via home visits Monday – Friday
- Psychiatric assessments/review by a Consultant Psychiatrist
- Psychology
- Memory assessments
- Memory treatment
- Memory rehabilitation
- Post diagnostic support – 5 Pillar and 8 Pillar Models of Care.
Referrals are triaged weekly by the MDT who will determine what service best meets the patient’s needs. Patients should consent to a referral being made. Following discharge from the service the patient will be required to be re-referred, if further specialist help is required, using the same referral process.
C.M. & L.M. 11-9-26
Routine referrals
All routine referrals will be seen within 12 weeks. The allocated Health Care Professional will make contact with the patient and arrange a suitable time and date to visit and assess the patient in their own home.
Urgent Referrals
Urgent referrals – please indicate this on SCI Gateway and they will be triaged by a Consultant Psychiatrist the same day (if within working hours) who will then ensure that the most appropriate service is allocated via the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader. The Consultant decides how soon the patient is required to be seen by the relevant Health Care Professional.
Same Day Emergency Assessments
If a patient requires to be assessed on the same day, then the Duty CPN can be contacted on the duty phone – 07773043057 between the hours of 08.30-15.30.
Memory Assessment Referrals
If you are referring for a memory assessment, then please include the following:
- What are the symptoms of dementia and how long have they been apparent
- A cognitive screen (e.g. MoCA, ACE-III, 6CIT)
- Essential blood tests including – FBC, C&Es, LFTs, TFTs, B12, Folate, Calcium, Glucose +/- CRP and indicate any action taken on the results
- Whether any brain imaging has taken place
- Has patient (or power of attorney) verbally consented to assessment for dementia?
- Are there any identified risks:
- Risk to self (e.g. self-neglect, medication management, fire hazard)
- Risks to others (e.g. carer stress, violence, staff on home visit)
- Risk from others (e.g. abuse – financial or otherwise
- Has driving status & advice given? For more info, see DVLA guidance for cognitive impairment
- Please also comment on impact on function, previous cognitive diagnoses and referrals, recent memory, language, executive function.
If you require any further information about the service, please contact the admin team on 01506 523 004 and a member of the team will respond.
Who can Refer
GPs, Practice Mental Health Nurses, ANPs.
Who to refer
Adults aged 65+ with moderate-severe mental health problems that have not responded to Primary Care treatments and interventions and patients with cognitive impairment requiring a memory assessment. The services listed above details what the Older People’s CMHT can offer adults with moderate – severe mental health problems.
Who not to refer
- Patients with Learning Disabilities – please refer to the appropriate Learning Disability Team
- Those with mild – moderate mental health problems please consider the Well-being Hubs and Practice Mental Health Nurses
- For Capacity assessments, please see. the RefHelp capacity guidance which includes a suggested capacity assessment prompt sheet for GPs should they find that helpful.
- For patients in Care and Nursing Homes please refer to Behaviour Support Services & Referral Pathway – Care Homes – the West Lothian Psychological Approach Team (WELPAT).
How to refer
Please refer using SCI Gateway > Mental Health > West Lothian – Psychiatry of Old Age. Please remember to indicate if the referral is urgent and the reasons for this, ie; identified risks: PLEASE SEE ABOVE FOR DETAILS.
Please also see above for actions required prior to referring for a memory assessment.
