Unity referrals for mental health – getting patients help when they need it

May 4, 2021

When someone is struggling with their mental health, it’s often referred to as a crisis, it’s a time when you will find patients at their most vulnerable, and when they are in desperate need for those they seek help from to do everything in their power to get them the right help.  And thanks to the latest addition to Unity, the right support is just a couple of clicks away.

The process to refer has never been simpler, both Sandwell and City Hospital have dedicated mental health liaison teams, who provide a service to the trust 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Black County Healthcare Foundation Trust provides the service to Sandwell Hospital and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust provides the service to City Hospital. Both services work in a similar way, responding to referrals for patients who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health across the ED and all inpatient areas. Patients who have symptoms of mental illness who require assessment and treatment will be considered, along with patients who present in mental health crisis, such as relapsing psychosis, suicidal ideation, or self-harm.

When making a referral, ensure that the patient is well enough to engage in the assessment; patients do not need to be declared ‘Medically Fit For Discharge’ prior to referral.

All urgent referrals should be followed up with a phone call to the respective liaison team in order to alert them to the urgency of the referral.

For any further queries relating to mental health referrals, please contact Abbie Gogarty, team lead for Sandwell Mental Health liaison Team, and Patrick McGlynn , Team Leader for the City Hospital based liaison psychiatry team.

• Sandwell liaison psychiatry – 0121 612 8607
• City liaison psychiatry – 0121 507 6063

Further guidance on how to refer through Unity can be found here: Clinical Documentation – Inpatient Referral to Specialist Service