Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust sets up new services after GP concerns

A report to the trust board said: “Following written concerns received from Barnet CCG regarding access and communication, regular meetings with the CCG have now been arranged to provide updates. We are pleased to announce that two services have now been set up: GP Advice Line (as of 1 May) and Urgent Care (as of 13 May), in Barnet, to be rolled out shortly in the 3 other boroughs

“The GP advice line is open between 9am and 5.30pm. The service operates on the same principles as GP’s manage their own surgery appointment systems. GP’s are invited to telephone the Advice Line if they wish to request a telephone appointment with  a Consultant Psychiatrist. Appointments are between 1pm and 2pm each day, Monday to Friday. Name and contact details are recorded by administration staff who agree the appointment time with the requesting GP. Barnet PCMHT Consultants are rostered to provide input of one hour each day, and to telephone the requesting GP at the specified appointment time. We are presently receiving one or two appointment requests each day via this service.

“The Urgent Care Service operates from the Dennis Scott Unit at Edgware Community Hospital. The service operates between 9am and 9pm, Monday to Friday. GP’s are invited to contact the service if they have seen and assessed a patient as being in crisis and requiring urgent intervention. On receipt of a referral the Urgent Care team will respond by allocating two members of staff who will travel to the patients location and undertake an assessment.

“A care plan will be formulated at the visit and implemented the same day. National standards state that urgent care response must be provided within four hours of referral. The Urgent Care Team is operating within these standards, though the internal BEH standard is for assessment to take place within two hours of referral.”