A-Z of Mental Health

C

Care Co-ordinator

A named individual who takes lead responsibility for ensuring that agreed services are provided. They may be either a member of social work staff, a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) or an Occupational Therapist . The Care Co-ordinator is designated as the main contact and support worker for a person with a need for on-going care, usually as part of the Care Programme Approach (CPA) Process .

Access: Through specialist psychiatric services, ie a psychiatrist or community mental health team

Care Manager

Acts as a ‘broker’ to assess and review needs and arrange care packages. However, the Care Manager is not involved in direct service delivery, nor do they have managerial responsibility for the services they arrange. They will ‘commission’ other agencies to provide the services identified in the assessment.

Care Programme Approach

Care Programme Approach (CPA) is used to help service users towards recovery. It involves having an assessment and regular reviews of the person’s needs, a named care co-ordinator and a written care plan . Both service users and carers are involved in the assessment. There are two levels of CPA:

  1. Standard A person with mental health problems and has need of a particular support service. There is no need for a variety of services to be involved.
  2. Enhanced A person with mental health problems who needs a variety of different support services.

From October 2008 the two levels will be replaced by one CPA will change to describe the approach used in secondary mental health services to assess, plan, review and co-ordinate the treatment, care and support required by people who have complex needs.

Related Item: see Carers Resource Pack

Carers Respite

Provides ‘time out’ for carers from their caring role to enable them to maintain their own mental well-being. Respite can be anything from a few hours to two weeks, depending upon the carer’s own needs. The cared for person may be accommodated in day centres, residential homes, hospital or even within the home. An assessment of need is carried out and services will be provided to meet those needs.

Access: Via Social Care & Health services. Also search the LAMP Directory for Respite schemes available from voluntary organisations.

 

Carers Support Worker

Carers Support Workers work with both groups of carers and individuals. They provide support, advice and information to carers and can assist with getting help from other services.

Access: Carers Support workers are provided by Rethink (for Leicestershire and Rutland) and Crossroads for Carers (for Leicester City).

 

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

The mental health service for children and adolescents under the age of 18.

Access: See entry in the LAMP Directory

 

Common Mental Health Problems Service

A service made up of therapists based in GP surgeries, with the role of providing brief psychological (talking) therapy for people with common mental health problems. Referrals are made to it by GPs.

Access: See entry in the LAMP Directory

 

Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT)

Community-based teams for people with more severe mental health problems, with a range of workers, including psychiatrists, community psychiatric nurses (CPNs), social workers, occuptational therapists and support workers.

Access: Search the LAMP Directory

 

Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)

See Mental Health Nurse

 

Crisis Resolution Teams (CRT)

A team that provides support for people going through mental health crisis. The team assessses people and works intensively at home with many to try to prevent people from having to go into psychiatric hospital. They assess everyone who is at risk of going into hospital, unless they are being detained (sectioned) under the Mental Health Act.

Access: Search the LAMP Directory

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