Home > Adults > Mental Health >

Safe Haven Mental Health Support

Checked: 07-05-2021 by Vicky Ryan Next Review: 07-05-2023

Overview

Update 05.07.22: Due to the significant number of referrals being received into the Safe Haven service, we have had to review the referrals that we are receiving to ensure that we are the right service for them. This service was originally commissioned to support clients experiencing mental health crisis, including suicidal ideation and emotional distress but the advent of the pandemic forced a temporary change in that we supported anyone who was referred to us; this is now causing significant increasing pressure on the service so we are having to return the service to its original specification as a Crisis Service not a general mental health support service.

We are going to be vetting all of the referrals that we receive to ensure that they meet the original service criteria. This will result in some referrals being declined and referrers being advised that we will not be able to provide support; we would suggest that you advise these patients to speak to their GP about a referral into the Recovery Navigation or social prescribing support service that may be available within their surgery and may be more suitable for their needs.

The Safe Haven Centre team are operating a remote service for people aged 16 and over who need additional support out of hours. The Recovery Navigators can offer remote or face to face sessions between 6pm and midnight, 7 days per week.

The Safe Haven Centre service offers a team of Recovery Navigators who will work with clients to prevent and reduce psychological difficulties. They are able to offer support with needs such as emotional distress, anxiety, depression, low mood, social isolation and sleep hygiene.

While the service is not able to provide onward referrals, they are able to provide support and signposting for issues such as housing, debt, health problems, drugs and alcohol use, substance misuse, unemployment and government guidelines regarding Covid-19 if these are the underlying trigger for their current emotional distress.

The Safe Haven Centre service is not suitable for service users in acute mental health crisis, including patients whose needs can be more appropriately met by Intensive Support Teams and Recovery Teams.

Referral

Referrals are accepted from service users, GPs and other care providers for people aged 16 years and over, registered at surgeries within BNSSG.

Referrals can be made by submitting the Referral Form to: refer.safehaven@nhs.net (this can be accompanied by a telephone call if appropriate on 01934 313480) letting the patient know to expect a call within the timeframe requested (Same day, 24-72 hours, within 7 days) in order to confirm an appointment time.

The referrals will be triaged between 5.30 and 7.00 pm. An initial phone call will be made to the client and an appointment slot offered. If a follow up call is required, this will be discussed and arranged by the Safe Haven Centre team directly with the patient.

Details of interventions will stored on the AWP RiO system and accessible via Connecting Care.

Further support for individuals in Bristol and South Gloucestershire can be accessed via The Sanctuary service

BNSSG-wide self and GP-referral options for acute mental health support include:

VitaMinds 24/7 Support and Connect helpline: 0800 0126549 (18 and over)

Contact details:

For further information, or to discuss referrals, please contact the Team Manager on:

Tel: 01934 313 480 or 07850 002661

Email: Tammie.Hemmett@second-step.co.uk

Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.