| People who suffer from mental health problems | | | | Patients can be referred to them by the doctor or |
| often feel isolated and struggle to cope with their | | | | other members of the community health team. |
| routines on a day to day basis. The community | | | | The Key Worker |
| mental health team can be invaluable in helping | | | | People suffering from mental health problems will |
| someone with mental health issues regain some | | | | usually be assigned a key worker, which can be |
| control of their lives. | | | | anyone in the community mental health team. The |
| The community mental health team consists of a | | | | key worker ensures that the individual gets the right |
| number of professionals who are trained in their | | | | kind of help that they need. They will regularly assess |
| specific areas and can include psychiatrists, | | | | the progress of an individual and report back to the |
| psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, | | | | rest of the team. |
| and of course the community psychiatric nurse or | | | | Community Psychiatric Nurse or CPN |
| CPN. Some specific problems or issues that can arise | | | | The key worker will often be a CPN who will usually |
| in addition to existing mental health problems or which | | | | make regular visits to people with mental health |
| can exacerbate or trigger mental health problems and | | | | problems in their own homes. They offer an |
| which might need extra consideration include: | | | | important lifeline for people who are feeling isolated |
| Financial problems | | | | and alone with their mental health problems or who |
| Physical disabilities | | | | are experiencing particular difficulties. They are aware |
| Housing issues | | | | of the many issues surrounding mental health and can |
| Divorce or relationship problems | | | | listen as well as help people talk through their |
| Childcare issues | | | | problems in a setting in which they feel comfortable. |
| Certain kinds of mental health problems may result in | | | | The CPN will liaise with and work closely with other |
| different needs and may therefore require some | | | | members of the team to make sure that any |
| specialist help to deal with and these can include: | | | | practical support and assistance is offered when |
| Elderly depression and dementia | | | | needed. They will assess the individual regularly and |
| Child or Teen depression | | | | will discuss with them the effectiveness of their |
| Postnatal depression | | | | medication and any side effects they might be |
| Bipolar disorder | | | | experiencing. The family and loved ones of a person |
| Schizophrenia | | | | suffering from mental health problems often need |
| Obviously, finding one person fully qualified and skilled | | | | additional support in order to understand mental illness |
| in all of these areas just isn't possible so the | | | | and to be able to cope with it, the CPN can offer |
| community mental health team work together in | | | | practical advice and guidance. |
| order to ensure that the best advice and support is | | | | Occupational Therapists |
| available as many of the professionals involved will be | | | | Occupational therapists help individuals to cope with |
| trained in specialist areas that allow them to offer a | | | | practical issues on a day to day basis in areas such |
| better service to people suffering from specific | | | | as dressing, toileting and feeding themselves and can |
| problems. So what sort of people make up the | | | | help individuals regain some control of their lives. |
| mental health team? | | | | Social workers |
| Psychiatrist | | | | Social workers can ensure that an individual gets |
| Patients can be referred to a psychiatrist by their | | | | access to various social services that will improve |
| doctor. The psychiatrist will then assess the patient | | | | their quality of life and that they may be entitled to |
| and decide on an appropriate form of treatment and | | | | such as home help, respite care and perhaps |
| medication including who will be responsible for | | | | admission to day or residential centres. They can also |
| carrying out any treatment programme. If a mental | | | | offer assistance in dealing with housing needs, |
| health problem is particularly severe then they are | | | | financial difficulties or other social problems. |
| also able to recommend that the individual be | | | | The best care |
| detained in hospital for a period of time. However, | | | | Many other people can be involved in the community |
| this is a last resort and also requires the approval of | | | | mental health team including various support workers, |
| another doctor and a social worker who all agree | | | | therapists, counsellors, and of course loved ones. |
| that this is the best option for an individual concerned | | | | Together they all make sure that the individual |
| either for the individual's safety or for the safety of | | | | suffering from mental illness gets the best care |
| others. | | | | possible. Each team member can make a valuable |
| Psychologist | | | | contribution to the individual's quality of life and can |
| Psychologists have an understanding of human | | | | help them not only to cope with their illness on a day |
| behaviour, emotions and how the mind works and | | | | to day basis but to regain control over their lives and |
| although they cannot prescribe medication they can | | | | integrate with the rest of the community in a |
| offer various types of psychological therapies. | | | | positive and productive way. |