Introduction

Primary Care Mental Health Liaison Nurses carry out mental health assessments in primary care on patients with mild to moderate mental health problems, for example;

• anxiety disorders
• depression
• eating disorders
• self-harm.

We see people aged 18 – 65 (and 16 and 17 years if they are NOT in full time education).

We provide brief therapy (usually 6 sessions guided self-help using CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques).

We advise PHCT (Primary Health Care Teams) on all aspects of mental health problems and service provision.

We provide liaison services between PHCT and psychiatric services.

We advise on establishing and maintaining Serious Mental Illness registers.

Assessments

Following assessment patients are given information and advice; e.g. medication, private counsellors.

Follow up is provided to monitor mental health.

Patients may be referred on to agencies that can best meet their needs – either in the voluntary or statutory sectors.

Patients may be referred to anxiety management courses provided by a mental health liaison nurse.

Patients may be referred for brief therapy with the mental health liaison nurse.

Examples Of Agencies Patients May Be Referred To

Community Drug and Alcohol Team is a statutory service for drug and alcohol users, providing counselling, prescribing and home detox. They have a consultant psychiatrist.

WGCADA (West Glamorgan Council On Alchohol and Drug Abuse)
A drug and alcohol agency using 12 step programmes.

SAND is a drug and alcohol agency using harm reduction.

New Pathways – based in Merthyr Tydfil this is a specialist, free counselling service for people who have experienced sexual abuse. They run counselling sessions at Clydach Hospital and at Central Clinic.

The Women’s Centre are running sexual abuse and self-injury support groups.

Tenancy Support Units is a service provided by the City and County of Swansea for tenants with a whole host of problems. They will take referral, do assessment and refer on to appropriate agencies specialising in elderly, mental health, youth services and more.

Shaw Trust is a voluntary sector agency with a remit to get people off benefits. They provide careers advice, confidence building courses and pain management courses.

DIAL is a free counselling service for people with disabilities and their families.

Other Counselling Services

We also provide information on other counselling services (free and fee paying) available in the area. Most of these can be found in yellow pages. We also advise people to contact the above agencies themselves if they can e.g. Shaw Trust prefers the individual to call themselves.

There is now a book prescribing service in Swansea (bibliotherapy) where patients are prescribed self-help books which they can find at any library. They do not have to be members.