
Tool to aid assessment of suicidal ideation or risk to others
Link to full Traffic Light Tool
Code/ Description | Response Type & timescale for assessment & allocation for treatment | Typical presentations (clinicians subjective assessment always overrides) | Action |
RED
Very high risk of imminent harm to self or others.
High distress, absence of capable support. |
Assessment: Same day face to face assessment.
Post assessment: CRHT & Urgent allocation in CMHT |
Acute suicidal ideation or risk of harm to others, with clear plan and means and / or history of self-harm or aggression. High risk of impulsive acts.
Very high/high risk behaviour associated with perceptual / thought disturbance, delirium, dementia or impaired impulse control Rapidly increasing symptoms of psychosis and / or severe mood disorder Unable to care for self or dependents or perform activities of daily living Urgent assessment request under the Mental Health Act Known consumer requiring urgent intervention to prevent or contain relapse |
Call central booking service on 0300 200 0011
Please state if urgent or routine* |
AMBER
Moderate risk of harm and/ or significant distress |
Assessment: Same day face to face assessment.
Post assessment: CRHT & urgent allocation in CMHT |
Suicidal ideation, with no clear plan, no risk to others. Minimal supportive factors
Significant client/ carer distress associated with serious mental illness (including mood/anxiety disorder) Early symptoms of psychosis (involve EIS if 1st episode) Requires priority assessment in order to clarify diagnostic status Known consumer requiring priority treatment or review |
|
GREEN
Low risk of harm in short term or moderate risk with high support/ stabilising factors |
Assessment: within 4 weeks of referral.
Post assessment: CMHT allocation treatment to commence within 18 weeks of assessment |
Requires specialist mental health assessment but is stable and at low risk of harm in waiting period.
Known consumer with serious mental illness (including mood/anxiety disorder) requiring review and/or treatment |
Where there is an immediate risk to life (either self or others) please contact appropriate 999 emergency service.
*Routines referrals should only be referred 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday (exc Bank Holidays)
For mental health advice for GP’s only call the GP Advice line on 024 7696 7897
Crisis Plus Initiative to support people in mental health crisis
The purpose of Crisis Plus will be to strengthen the mental health crisis pathway by increasing the range of local alternatives to A&E, mental health inpatient care and mental health crisis teams by providing:
- Collaborative Intensive Outreach Team
- Social Intervention Collective
- Crisis House provision.
Involves investment in voluntary and community sector organisations (VCSE) to access hard-to-reach communities and meet the needs of our diverse population to provide mental health support at times of crisis.
Investment in local peer support workers will mean people can also be supported by those who have been through the same experience and come out of the other side.
Collaborative Intensive Outreach Team will establish a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to work with people who frequently need to use mental health crisis services.
This team will develop prevention and care treatment plans with individuals to reduce the time they need to spend in hospital, and also help them to identify their strengths to reach their own life goals.
Social Intervention Collective will offer support to people whose mental health crises come about as a result of a variety of social issues.
Crisis House provision which will offer short-term overnight accommodation for people who are in crisis offering intensive support to help manage a mental health crisis over a short period of time, usually as an alternative to hospital admission.
Crisis planning will be strengthened by producing support plans with the individual by a multi-disciplinary team working across urgent mental health care services, Social Care, Local Authority services and the voluntary and community sector (VCSE) and the individual.
For more information about the Crisis Plus Initiative, please contact mentalhealth.communications@covwarkpt.nhs.uk
Arden Mental Health Acute Team (AMHAT)
A point of contact for all local acute hospital referrals for specialist assessment of mental health crisis and mental health disorder. The service also provides liaison support and training to staff at local acute hospitals.
Contact address: Caludon Centre, UHCW CV2 2TE
Self referral:
Local Telephone: 02476 678678 (local call charges apply)
National telephone: 116 123 (this number is free to call)
Email Samaritans: jo@samaritans.org
Samaritans Coventry: 57 Moor Street, Earlsdon, Coventry, West Midlands CV5 6ER
GP referral form – click link:
Referrals Scheme in conjunction with the Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust providing additional emotional support as part of a three way partnership between Samaritans, health professionals and patients.
Referring patients is quick and easy – we simply require a name, a telephone number and a preferred time of day when a patient would like us to call.
Please note that calls from Samaritans will register as “number withheld” and may not be accepted if the patient’s telephone is set to bar such calls or they screen calls
No medical history or clinical details are necessary. We will then call the patient and make subsequent calls for a period of time if desired. We liaise with the referring health professional to let them know that we are in contact with their patient and to ensure that we are providing a consistent and appropriate level of care.
Patients are made fully aware of the workings of this scheme, and are free to leave it at any time.
Please email form to: coventrysams-referrals@print.epsonconnect.com
Leave feedback
You must be logged in to post a comment.