Referrals will be accepted by e-referral and letter.
At the point of making a referral the referrer will be required to identify if the need for assessment is:
- urgent (within 72 hours)
- or routine (within 28 days).
When the referral is screened by a Mental Health Practitioner the urgent/routine requirement will be reviewed; if there is an identified need to change this it will be discussed and agreed within the team and the referrer.
Following screening, an appointment, within the appropriate timeframe will be arranged by telephone contact.
The team will undertake assessments in a variety of ways. The decision regarding how and where assessments will be undertaken will be determined following assessment of risk; factors which will influence a person's ability to engage in the assessment will also be considered when deciding the location and method of assessment. Assessments can be undertaken:
- Through telephone calls
- Using video conferencing technology (Attend Anywhere)
- Face to face at identified NSFT community bases
- Within Service User's homes
There will be clear and timely communication of referral outcomes to service users and the referrers, as well as with the teams into which AAT refer. Cases will be passed to the appropriate clinical pathway within the appropriate Integrated Delivery Team.