Alternative services to an inpatient stay

Mental Health Crisis services at HPFT

If you are are a Herts residents in a mental health crisis, please call one of the numbers below for a self-referral or to refer a friend or family member:

• Freephone 0800 6444 101 or
• NHS 111 and select option 2 for mental health services
• If they are seriously ill or injured, dial 999 for the emergency services.

After receiving a triage assessment by our professional team of tele-coaches and mental health clinicians, a crisis plan will be agreed within an hour. Plans will include signposting or continued assessment and support, which will be arranged with the most appropriate team to meet the persons’ needs. This may be provided in the person’s home, at one of our Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team units (CRHTTs), or at another HPFT or other community organisation site.

After the assessment, if the individual meets the threshold for our crisis intervention, the local Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team will arrange a visit.

There are five Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Teams within Hertfordshire.

Our CRHTT units in Hemel Hempstead and Stevenage offer therapeutic interventions to people in crisis as an alternative to admission and to facilitate early discharges from the inpatient units, but also offer an alternative environment to carry out an assessment for people in crisis, whilst reducing their potential exposure to infection and easing pressure on our local Emergency Department (ED). CRHTT Units can be accessed between 9am-6pm, seven days a week.

As part of the treatment under the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team, we have a psychology team who can support you in understanding why you are in crisis, developing ways of coping or moving forward from past difficulties. You can find out more about this by clicking here.

Host Families scheme

A Host Family provides a caring, family environment for a guest, which avoids them being admitted to hospital admission, or allows them to leave hospital earlier. The service focuses more on home, family and the community for people who are going through a period of mental health crisis. Click here to find out more about our Host Families scheme

Mental Health Liaison Team

The Mental Health Liaison team is a specialist mental health service, based in Watford General and Lister Hospitals. Our team of mental health experts offer assessment, diagnosis and treatment for emotional and psychiatric ill health or problems with memory for anyone who attends the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), or who is admitted as an inpatient at Lister or Watford Hospital.

If you are experiencing a combination of physical and mental ill health, the Mental Health Liaison team may be called upon by other staff involved in your care to start appropriate treatment, to help you get better. The team will also make sure that your treatment continues after discharge from hospital.
Watford General Team  09.00 to  Midnight  Monday to Sunday
Lister Hospital Team  09.00 – 21.00 Monday to Sunday

Street Triage

The Street Triage team work with the police. They will see people who come to the attention of the police in the community who may have mental health needs. The Street Triage worker,  who is a qualified mental health professional, will link the person with other services depending on their needs or provide advice and support to the police about the person - working closely with other Trust services. Currently the service operates 5.00pm to 4.00am,  seven days a week.