North Cumbria Community Treatment Teams – Patient Information Leaflet

This leaflet provides information that you may find useful during your time with our service. If you are unsure about anything in this leaflet, please ask a member of staff.

The Community Treatment Team provides a specialist service for adults aged 18 years and over who experience severe complex mental health difficulties and require a period of assessment and treatment.

The team is made up of professionals including:

• Consultant Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• Registered Mental Health Nurses (Community Psychiatric Nurse)
• Occupational Therapists
• Social Workers
• Assistant Psychologists
• Assistant Practitioners
• Clinical Support Assistants
• Pharmacists
• Peer Supporters
• Dietitian
• Carers Lead

Initial appointments with the teams are usually based in clinic, but in some instances may also be arranged within your home.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) is a teaching organisation and you may be asked if a student can be involved in your first appointment.

You will always be asked for your consent for a student to be involved in your care and treatment.

Sometimes when people are experiencing difficulties, they may need to be seen to assess their current mental health and see how they can be supported.

The service accepts referrals from GP’s, other health professionals and social services, for adults aged 18 and over.

You will be seen by an experienced mental health worker from the team who will offer you an assessment which will include exploring some of the difficulties that you are experiencing. At the end of the assessment we will discuss options available to meet your current needs.

A summary of the assessment and recommendations will be sent to you, your GP and the referrer. Staff can provide you with information leaflets which may include information about diagnosis, treatment, self-help and support agencies. You can also access mental health self help guides at www.cntw.nhs.uk/selfhelp and as a free app at the Google and Apple stores.

You are welcome to bring someone with you to support you. If you would like a family member, friend or advocate to take part in your assessment we would value their contribution.

Following initial assessment you will be contacted to discuss treatment options based on the outcome of the assessment. This is a mental health professional who will meet with you to discuss your treatment. They will also keep in contact with any other professionals involved in your care.

The aim of the service is to aid recovery from mental ill health and to assist people in returning manageable levels of activity and independence.

Where appropriate relatives and carers are encouraged to be part of the initial assessment and will help formulate your treatment plan at your request.

We will put you in touch with local carers support networks and offer a Carers Assessment on request. These are all important to the work of the Community Treatment Team.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has a Carers Charter. Please ask a member of staff if you or your carer would like a copy of this booklet

Everything you tell the team member and the information we keep about you is kept confidential within the team of professionals caring for you. The only exception to this would be if we felt there was a risk to yourself or to others, but we would discuss this with you.

You have a right to see any records we keep about you including the information stored within your electronic health records. Staff will give you a copy of the ‘Information that the Trust keeps about you’ leaflet. Copies are also available from the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288.

At your first appointment you will be given the choice of receiving copies of letters written by healthcare professionals about your care and we will ask you to sign a consent form for sharing information.

With your permission as part of our care we would like to offer an initial visit to get to know your partner and/or family and friends who are involved in supporting you to see if we can answer any questions or queries they may have about our service or your care. We will discuss this with you at your initial assessment appointment.

What should I do if I don’t understand or have a problem – perhaps I have missed an appointment?

Please don’t be afraid to give us call, numbers for the teams are at the end of this leaflet.

If you require an interpreter. staff can arrange to book an appointment.

• Bus timetable information – Telephone: 0871 200 22 33– (7am – 8pm)
• Bus timetable and public transport maps Website: www.cumbria.gov.uk/buses/

Staff at the Trust will treat you with dignity and respect and staff expect the same in return. We want to ensure that our staff can work, and service users can experience treatment, in an environment that is safe and secure. As part of the NHS, we have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse. Violence against our staff, service users and visitors is a crime. We will take action against anyone who behaves in a violent or aggressive way.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:
• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.cntw.nhs.uk (click on the ‘Contact Us’ tab)
• telephone the Complaints Department 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected] Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk
• We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.

You can provide feedback in the following ways:
– the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/poy
– complete a Points of You survey, available from staff.

• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Tel:0800 328 4397
Provides confidential advice and support for service users, relatives and carers.

• Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust –
Tel:0191 246 6800

• The Patient and Carer Involvement Service
Tel:01670 501 816
Involving patients, carers and their families in making decisions about their care, can lead to better outcomes and a better overall experience. The Patient and Carer Involvement Service co-ordinate and facilitate involvement, as well as providing training and support to those who wish to help the
Trust shape service design and delivery. To find out more information visit our webpage: www.cntw.nhs.uk/involvement or email:[email protected]

Open 9am – 5pm

Carlisle Community Treatment Team
11 Portland Square
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA1 1PY

Tel:01228 603 850

Eden Community Treatment Team
Beacon Unit
Penrith Hospital
Bridge Lane
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 8HX

Tel:01768 245 503

West Community Treatment Team
Lillyhall Business Centre
Jubilee Road
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 4HA

Tel:01900 705 262

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre

2023 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref, PIC/887/0523 V1

www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2026