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Assertive Outreach Service

Within any population there is a small number of people with severe mental health problems with complex needs who have difficulty engaging with services and often require repeat admission to hospital. The Assertive Outreach Service aims to meet the needs of this small population.

Who is the service for?

Adults aged between 18 and approximately 65 with the following:

  • A severe and persistent mental disorder (e.g. schizophrenia, major affective disorders) associated with a high level of disability
  • A history of high use of inpatient or intensive home based care (for example, more than two admissions or more than 6 months inpatient care in the past two years)
  • Difficulty in maintaining lasting and consenting contact with services
  • Multiple, complex needs including a number of the following:
  • History of violence or persistent offending
  • Significant risk of persistent self-harm or neglect
  • Poor response to previous treatment
  • Dual diagnosis of substance misuse and serious mental illness
  • Detained under Mental Health Act (1983) on at least one occasion in the past 2 yrs
  • Unstable accommodation or homelessness

What is the service intended to achieve?

Within any population there is a small number of people with severe mental health problems with complex needs who have difficulty engaging with services and often require repeat admission to hospital.

Assertive outreach (or ‘PACT’ – Program of Assertive Community Treatment) has been shown to be an effective approach to the management of these people. Using an assertive outreach approach can:

  • Improve engagement
  • Reduce hospital admissions
  • Reduce length of stay when hospitalisation is required
  • Increase stability in the lives of people who use the service and their carers/family
  • Improve social functioning
  • Be cost effective.

The service aims to:

  • Develop meaningful engagement with people who use the service, provide evidence-based interventions and promote recovery
  • Increase stability within the person’s life, facilitate personal growth and provide opportunities for personal fulfilment
  • Provide a service that is sensitive and responsive to individual’s cultural, religious and gender needs
  • Support the person and his/her family/carers for sustained periods
  • Promote effective interagency working
  • Ensure effective risk assessment and management

 

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