About our team

  • We are a team of experienced and skilled mental health nurses.

  • We have an input and support from Speciality Doctors and a Consultant psychiatrist.

  • We offer specialist mental health assessments for all patients over the age of 16 that are referred from Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

  • Our service operates 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

What we provide:

  • We provide assessments for patients of adult age –from 16 onwards who are presenting with acute mental health symptoms whilst in the hospital and consent to a referral.

  • From that assessment we will offer appropriate mental health support. This may include referrals to others services at point of discharge, signposting, or advice or ongoing support, case management and medication reviews whilst they are an inpatient on the ward.

  • For any one receiving ongoing case management we will complete a care plan to support acute staff managing patient’s needs.

  • Outcomes of any assessment will be documented in the acute trust notes.

  • We also provide support and advice for staff when using the mental health act on an acute ward and will contact the services required for a full mental health act assessment to take place.

  • We will provide liaison with patients existing mental health community teams for inpatients on wards who require this.

  • We can offer advice regarding capacity and use of capacity act and can attend best interest meetings should it be required.

Referral process

All referrals should be completed on the Mental Health Liaison referral form. Ward administrators and ward managers have access to this or you can put this link into your search bar.

All completed referrals should be emailed to the referral email.

Referrals can be made at the point of discharge if this is the most suitable time. However patients can be referred prior to being medically fit for discharge providing they are fit for a mental health assessment. In this case an assessment will take place parallel to ongoing medical treatment.

How to make a referral

You will be asked to consider the urgency of the referral please see guidance below - timeliness of referral, as per the Royal College of Psychiatrists ‘Quality Standards for Liaison Psychiatry Services’ 2017.

Emergency: An unexpected, time-critical disturbance of mental state and/or behaviour which poses a significant, imminent risk to the patient or others and requires an immediate response.

If the referral is felt to be an emergency, as detailed above, please ensure you contact the mental health liaison team directly (ie. via telephone or bleep) to discuss the referral.

Urgent: A disturbance of mental state and/or behaviour which poses a risk to the patient or others, but does not require immediate mental health involvement. An urgent referral would usually be received from a ward in a general hospital, and relate to an emergent or deteriorating mental health problem that is not considered an emergency.

Routine: All other referrals, including patients who require mental health assessment, but do not pose a significant risk to themselves or others, and are not medically fit for discharge.

Once a referral has been received it will be triaged by a senior practitioner in the mental health liaison team.

The purpose of the triage is to ensure the suitability of the referral and if accepted the urgency - following the triage the urgency of the referral may be readdressed.

During the triage process the referrer may be contacted to gather further information. Other information will be gathered from mental health records to ensure suitability of response.

Contact us

Mental Health Liaison Team is available 24 hours a day seven days a week and can be reached on 01253 956 841.

As previously mentioned you should contact:

  • prior to making an emergency referral to discuss this further

  • if you have used the Mental Health Act to detain a patient to the ward

We are also available to contact for advice is you are unsure whether or not a referral is necessary and would be happy to discuss this with you.

The below numbers may be of assistance to you and can be given to patients who are not suitable for referral to our services or refuse a referral but may benefit from accessing mental health services when they are discharged from the hospital.

Please do not give the mental health liaison team contact number to patients. However the below numbers can be given to patients to contact.

Useful numbers

Mental Health Crisis Line

Tel: 0800 953 0110

24 hours a day, daily.

Advice, assessments, and referrals to mental health services.

The Wellbeing and Mental Health Helpline

Tel: 0800 915 4640

Or text “Hello” to: 07860 022846

Monday to Friday, 7pm to 11pm. Saturday and Sunday, 12pm to 12am.

An information and listening service for anyone experiencing mental health difficulties.

Home Treatment Team

Tel: 01253 956 280

24 hours a day, daily.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have some concerns, questions or need advice on our services, you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0800 234 6088 or email the PALS Team.

Feeling low and need someone to talk to?

Call 0800 915 4640

Monday to Friday 7pm to 11pm Saturday to Sunday 12pm to Midnight

Need urgent help?

Call 0800 953 0110 24 hours a day, seven days a week

This leaflet is available in alternative languages and formats upon request. Please speak to a member of our staff to arrange this.