Crisis House & Step Down Facility
The “Crisis House” and step down service facilitates a rapid response to adults who are in a mental health crisis and is also an opportunity for earlier discharge from hospital for those are known to the Mental Health Services of Mersey Care NHS Trust.
It provides a short term, 24 hour supported accommodation crisis service within the community for up to six people with low level needs.
- Staff are on site, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing the practical and emotional support required by service users.
- Staff are supported by ‘Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment’ (CRHT) and mental health teams who are currently involved with the service user, these ensure that all the necessary documentation is completed prior to admission and continue to support as necessary.
- CHART assist in management and support people who need to move on into new accommodation.
Service users have responsibility for their own room under a tenancy model and they are required to keep their own and communal rooms clean and habitable. They are also required to purchase their own food and toiletries.
The service can be accessed via referral to the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHT), based at Aintree University Hospital and the Hesketh Centre, they assess suitability and priority.
- All service users are required to have both an up to date Care Program Approach (CPA) assessment and a full risk assessment prior to admission.
- All Care coordinators will remain as the Care Coordinator for the service user throughout their stay.
- Should the Care Coordinator role be officially transferred, staff at the house are to be notified.
- The named Care Coordinator is required to remain in contact with the house throughout the service user’s stay and forms part of the multi disciplinary group providing support for the duration of the stay.
This short stay service is delivered in partnership with:
- Sefton Supporting People
- CHART
- Mersey Care NHS Trust
- Sefton Primary Care Trust
Feedback from service users and professional partners about the quality and effectiveness of this vital service has been positive and indicates good practice and effective partnership working. The Crisis House service has been formally recognised for its work.
First Initiatives was Highly Commended at the Mersey Care NHS Trust Positive Achievements award evening at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, on 2nd July 2008. The Crisis Care Team at Alexandra Mount was recognised as providing an exceptional service in ‘Improving the Patient Experience
