Service Changes for COVID-19 – Adult Mental Health Services
Mental health services are working collectively and taking steps across our Health Board to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and contingency plans have been implemented to maintain safer services for all.
Local Primary Care Mental Health Support Service
There is reduced activity in face-to-face contact and an increase in telephone contact. Assessment work continues to take place. Group activities and events have been suspended. At all times, our service users are referred to alternative sources of online or telephone support such as those provided by third sector organisations.
For urgent queries, please contact Main Reception on 01443 443712 (Merthyr/Rhondda Cynon Taff) or 01656 752449 (Bridgend).
Crisis Teams
The Crisis Service remains open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Prince Charles, Royal Glamorgan and Princess of Wales hospital sites. We are urging people in mental health crisis to telephone our 24/7 crisis line or contact their usual community mental health team. There is increased telephone activity both in assessment and home treatment, and the majority of activity is being offered through telephone support.
For urgent queries, please contact:
- Royal Glamorgan Hospital: 01443 443712 Ext 74903 (9am – 5pm) or 74388 (out of hours)
- Prince Charles Hospital: 01685 721721 Ext 26952/26953
- Princess of Wales Hospital: 01656 752449
Adult Community Mental Health Teams
Our clinical teams continue to assess their service user needs and offer alternative service delivery. Telephone services are being offered wherever possible. Clozapine, Lithium and Depot services remain open. The routine review of medication and prescriptions continues.
Substance Misuse Services
The Community Drug and Alcohol Team remains active and is seeing new and existing clients, using telephone contact wherever possible. Video consultation through Attend Anywhere is also being explored.
Drug and Alcohol Single Point of Access (DASPA). Telephone: 0300 333 0000.
Psychiatric Liaison (Within Hospitals)
Our Psychiatric Liaison Services are continuing to provide advice and support regarding any patients on our general wards and A&E who have co-occurring mental health needs.
Older People Mental Health Community Team
In both our Memory Services and older people’s Community Mental Health Teams, we are ensuring that we are still able to offer a good service to our most vulnerable service users.
Face-to-face contact with older people has been reduced. Urgent dementia assessments and care home visits continue to be undertaken. New dementia assessments are suspended for now, and ongoing reviews are being carried out over the telephone.
The Specialist Dementia Intervention Team (SDIT) in RCT is continuing to take referrals from care homes and on behalf of families caring for people with dementia in their own homes. Advice can be given by telephone; only in extreme cases are the SDIT visiting care homes. The OT Memory Assessment Service are continuing to provide assessment and support wherever possible via the telephone.
Perinatal Mental Health
Our perinatal service is providing a telephone service but has largely postponed face-to-face contact. Risk assessments of caseloads continue to be undertaken and reviewed regularly to ensure the services offered continue to meet service user needs.
Face-to-face group activities and events have been postponed, and alternative support provided.
We are offering pregnancy courses using online resources. All relevant service users are offered this option, and also have access to telephone advice in relation to any queries around the information and advice provided.
Eating Disorder Team
Joint working across mental health and specialist eating disorder teams is being undertaken to deliver monitoring, support and treatment in community and home settings. Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB continues to work in partnership with the Service for High-risk Eating Disorders (SHED) in Cardiff.
For urgent queries relating to eating disorders, please contact 01443 486222 Ext 5404.
Adult and Older Persons Mental Health Inpatient Services
Our assessment and treatment wards remain open to new admissions. Capacity on our adult wards has enabled the designation of COVID and non-COVID areas to ensure patients are safely cared for. Professionals in community services and advocacy services are keeping in touch with patients in hospital by phone wherever possible.
The Acute Day Unit service has been temporarily paused due to the need to suspend group contact and maintain social distancing. The staff are currently supporting other services in the Acute division, which is under constant review.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Routine contact is being carried out either on the telephone or by video call appointments. The teams continue to receive referrals and will carry out telephone assessments wherever possible.
Community teams will continue to support service users on Clozapine and Depot medication; operating as normal. In our inpatient rehabilitation units, activities are continuing to keep patients occupied and to provide a sense of purpose and positivity.
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