Patient Pathway

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The registration forms includes several wellbeing assessments questionnaires which enable us to identify an early risk assessment including clinical factors for the patient and those that might affect the wider services of health and social care, including risk of harm to patient and client.

Assessment and Case Management

1. Self-referral, triage of registration and suitability assessment

2. Contact via phone, email or text message

3. Assessment

4. Develop care/treatment plan or signpost to other services if more appropriate

5. MDT review

6. Treatment with or without case management depending on need

PH is a service where ethe majority of patients self-refer via an easy to complete registration form. Patients also have the option of calling the service to complete self-registration if there are any difficulties in completing the web-based form. The service is open between 8am to 8pm (excluding Bank Holidays) and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays. We are able to offer appointment times that fit around busy clinicians’ lives as we are very aware that this can be a barrier to accessing care.

We also accept referrals from the mental health and wellbeing hubs and occasionally from other NHS organisations. We encourage self-referrals where possible but do provide advice to family members, employers, responsible officers and really anyone who contacts us (of course without breaching confidentiality in the process). Third parties can contact us if they are worried about a colleague, family member or friend and we very much encourage our patients to ensure they let someone close to them that they are registered with the service so that we can be contacted as and when needed.

All referrals are screened daily by experienced clinicians and patients are then allocated into an appropriate assessment and treatment pathway.

Patients who may benefit from early access to talking therapy are assessed by a clinician and referred for different modalities of therapy, depending on their needs. This can include one to one talking therapy but also importantly the ability to access therapeutic groups which cover a wide range of issues, including:

• Medicolegal issues such as suspension
• Neurodiversity
• Parent groups for those who have children with complex needs
• LGBTQ+ gender and identity
• Burnout
• Understanding and dealing with emotions – a CBT based toolkit
• International Medical Graduates
• Mindfulness Cognitive based therapy group
• Addiction

For patients who are more seriously unwell and require case management, a lead clinician will conduct an assessment to explore their unique situation, formulate a management plan with a multidisciplinary approach and case manage them until they are better or facilitate referral into appropriate local services where needed. In addition to case management, we can also refer for talking therapies, prescribe medication, and issue fit notes if indicated.

In some cases, we also feel it important to seek a history from someone close to the patient, but this is always done with consent. We also encourage our patients to let someone close to them know that they are accessing the service so that they can contact us if they have any concerns about their welfare or wellbeing.

Patients can be assessed by any of our clinicians based across England, and we have found that this has enabled them to access care outside of their usual geographic area and helps allay their fear of their health issues becoming known to colleagues working locally.

Our core team comprises of General Practitioners with a special interest in mental health, occupational health, regulation, and addiction; Psychiatrists with expertise in areas such as liaison, and addiction psychiatry; specialist Mental Health Nurses with expertise in psychopharmacology and cognitive behavioural treatment. Our operational staff bring expertise from general practice, regulation and from other services within the NHS.