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Single Point of Access (SPA) Barnsley
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About the service
The Single Point of Access team offers a comprehensive assessment for clients referred to mental health services provided by the Trust.
The assessment can take place on NHS premises or in the home and clients will be seen by one or two staff members one of which will be a qualified mental health professional. Clients are welcome to have a member of the family or a friend present at assessment.
At the end of the assessment, clients will be asked to sign an agreement of the outcome and a copy of this will be given to keep. Clients whose needs are more complex may have several assessments or be offered an intervention lasting no more than six weeks. The client’s GP will receive a letter following the assessment including the outcome.
Why would someone choose the service?
- A client, in the majority of cases, will receive an assessment of their mental health needs within 14 days and sooner if required.
- Clients will receive a written and signed treatment plan detailing what was agreed after assessment. This makes both the assessor and client clear about what is agreed as the outcome and enables shared accountability. This will also be shared with their GP.
- Our service will try to offer clients an appointment in a place and time most convenient for them.
Staff you may meet
- Administrative staff provide essential support to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. This can be in a variety of different settings, with administrators working as a receptionist in a clinic or a clerk on a ward. They may also be working closely with a consultant as a medical secretary.
- CPNs are registered mental health nurses who work in the community providing practical advice and ongoing support for people with mental health problems. This is most often in the person’s own home but it can also be in clinics, for example, in a GP’s surgery.
- Receptionists are the first link for many patients and visitors. They often work on their own or with one or two other receptionists, greeting patients as they arrive and check them in. They might also collect patient notes and ensure that these vital records go to the right healthcare professional. In a clinic, they may make appointments and arrange patient transport.
Why a professional should choose the service
- All non-urgent referrals for assessment are seen within 14 calendar days meeting the Performance Indicator of 95%
- Specialist assessment leading to the most proportionate and cost-effective service response
- Reports show high levels of referrer and service user satisfaction
Support offered
- Assessment (routine and urgent)
- Brief intervention
- Admission to specialist mental health services
- Signposting to another health or social care provider
Outcomes
- To provide a quality comprehensive assessment
- Improve clients functional ability
- Ensure that clients are quickly referred to the most appropriate service as required
- Help support clients to recover
Referrals accepted from:
AHPs, Consultants, Courts, GP staff, GPs, Health visitors, Hospital staff, Local authority staff, Midwives, Other NHS services, Other Trust services, Police, Schools, Youth Offending Team
Referrals also accepted from:
Referrals also accepted from CAMHS.
Referral criteria:
The Single Point of Access team have specific eligibility criteria for services users to fulfil before referral to secondary services. Service users requiring assessment from the Trust’s secondary mental health services are referred on by the team and would need to meet individual eligibility criteria from the service they were initially triaged to.