Forensic community mental health team

We form part of the Centre for Mental Health and Justice, based at Bodmin Policing Hub. Our associate teams are the Liaison and Diversion team, the Homeless Vulnerability Liaison service, and the Offender Personality Disorder service.

As part of the wider South West Provider Collaborative (secure services network), the Specialist Forensic Community Mental Health team provide a range of services.

Our team is made up of:

• forensic consultant psychiatrists (responsible clinicians)
• a forensic consultant psychologist
• psychologists
• forensic mental health nurses (care coordinators)
• specialist learning disability and autism mental health nurses (care coordinators)
• senior support, time and recovery workers
• social workers (social supervisors)

A key aim of our work is the prevention of admission to secure services, with a focus on early intervention. This is through collaborative work with services such as community mental health teams, other specialist mental health teams, police, probation, and housing. This includes the training and support of colleagues, liaison, case consultation and risk formulation.

The other part of our role is tier 4 work with service-users already within the secure service pathway and people discharged from the secure services. Our aim is to ensure that once discharged from secure services, the service-user receives follow-up care within the community as a priority, using the least restrictive option.

We are a countywide team within Cornwall and work primarily with people discharged from secure services, usually under Section 42 (conditional discharge from Section 37/41), Section 37, Section 3, and community treatment orders.

Out of county, and as part of tier 4, we work with Cornish service-users, placed in secure settings throughout the UK. We provide social supervision on behalf of the Ministry of Justice for people under Section 42 within Cornwall.

Tier 1 (advice and signposting)

An opportunity to talk about any concerns about risk with senior forensic clinical staff to ask for advice and support and signposting to relevant agencies

Tier 2 (consultation)

We will meet with the referring team as part of a consultation clinic, (via video link, or face-to face) to provide specific pathway advice and recommendations.

The consultation clinic includes:

• forensic clinical psychologists
• forensic community psychiatric nurses
• forensic consultant psychiatrists
• other allied health professionals

Training and supervision may be offered under tier 2. Following a consultation, joint working may be clinically indicated.

Tier 3 (joint working)

We accept referrals outside the South West Provider Collaborative for high-risk patients at risk of admission to secure services. These are people that are assessed as a significant risk to others and where the current care team would benefit from specialist interventions assessments or support with risk management.

Although care coordination will continue with the referring team, joint work can be carried out by us in conjunction with the referring team, when this may significantly reduce the risks or improve patient quality of life, and/or prevent an admission to secure services.

Tier 4 (care co-ordination)

We offer care coordination for people under Section 42 (conditional discharge from Section 37/41), Section 37, Section 3, and community treatment orders. Service users must be an inpatient within secure care at the point of referral.

Tier 4 includes both in and out-of-county service-users.

In county

We work closely with the service user and inpatient care team to provide support and guidance regarding their ongoing treatment pathway from secure services. We are in frequent contact with the service user, inpatient care team and other relevant professionals. The service user will be care co-ordinated by a forensic community psychiatric nurse.

Following discharge from a secure setting, we provide ongoing care and supervision for people conditionally discharged from Section 37/41.

The team offer care coordination in the community for people discharged from Section 37 and section 3 until they are ready to be transferred to the local Community Mental Health team.

Out of county

We work closely with out-of-county inpatient care teams to help guide a service user’s ongoing treatment pathway. Care co-ordinators will meet regularly with the service-user, both via video link and face to face. The care coordinator will attend care programme approach meetings, mental health review tribunals, and hospital manager’s hearing. We will be involved in assisting to plan the service-users pathway out of secure services.

Additional services

Single point of contact and multi-agency public protection arrangements

We have an allocated single point of contact for public protection and multi-agency public protection arrangements. This is a forensic consultant psychologist offering liaison with the police or probation services for high-risk individuals.

This service enables professionals to contact someone if they have concerns about someone that may pose a significant risk to the public.

Acceptance criteria

• Presence of a mental disorder of a nature and/or degree that requires specialist treatment and interventions.
• Individuals present a serious risk of harm to others and to manage this risk, require specialist risk management procedures and specialist treatment interventions. This would be someone with the potential for a high-risk level of offending (such as stalking or grievous bodily harm), or evidence of escalating offending.
• Individuals may be accepted without criminal charges pending, where there is clear evidence of a serious risk to others in the context of mental disorder. There will generally be a pattern of violence or aggression and/or escalating threats.
• Potential to benefit from the treatment or assessment provided or to prevent deterioration.

Exclusion criteria

• Where the risk is assessed as primarily risk to self, or risk to others is in the context of managing the risk to self.
• Service-users not reaching the risk threshold outlined above.
• People not currently care coordinated by secondary mental health services.

Tier 1, 2 and 3

Call 01208 834 747 or email the Specialist Community Forensic Team

For tier 2 and 3, email the above address to request a consultation clinic. Alternatively, you can complete our Specialist Community Forensic Team referral form (DOCX, 74 KB) and email this directly to the team.

Tier 4

Referrals for service-users within secure services.

Single point of contact

For public and multi-agency protection arrangements, call 01208 834 747.