HSJ Value in Healthcare Awards 2016: Mental Health

Mental Health

Winner: Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation Trust

The Safe Haven Café in Aldershot provides out of hours mental health crisis care 365 days a year. Co-created by service users, and run as a partnership between the trust and voluntary sector partners, it offers an alternative to A&E attendance.

It is staffed by mental health specialists who provide a range of interventions, including psychosocial assessment. In addition to this clinical expertise, the café offers peer support and by allowing people to socialise helps combat isolation.

An independent study showed admissions to inpatient psychiatric beds fell by 33 per cent in the Safe Haven catchment area between April and October 2014

No referral is required, no appointment, and no prior history of mental ill health: it is simply a drop-in service.

In 2015, The Safe Haven was visited 5,027 times, equating to an average of 419 visits a month. Of these, 748 reported their attendance was an alternative to going to A&E, averaging 62 cases a month. Others said they were attending to help maintain wellbeing during a difficult time.

An independent study showed admissions to inpatient psychiatric beds fell by 33 per cent in the Safe Haven catchment area between April and October 2014. Patient satisfaction is high: an average of 95 per cent.

Judges’ comment: A real sense of public engagement in the co-design of the service. In a very simple way the resulting service has managed to divert patients from A&E to a service that better meets their needs. The team has recognised that the principles behind the service can be applied to other areas, outside mental health, and show an enthusiasm with real plans for taking this forward.