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  • If you need help with your mental health today, we’re here for you

    If you need urgent support today out of hours, you can visit an NHS Recovery Café in Tooting or Wimbledon. If you are anxious, low or stressed, NHS Talking Therapies offers a range of free confidential support.

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    We believe that good staff and good patient experience go hand in hand and the people who work with us are at the very heart of delivering an excellent service to our patients.

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  • Better Care: New animation highlights transformed support and access across adult community mental health services 

    As a leading mental health Trust, we have to adapt to make sure we continue to provide high-quality care to communities across South West London. 

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We offer a number of effective therapies based on the Child/ Young Person's needs and as agreed with the family through care planning

We aim to provide great care to every Child and Young Person and to support to their parent/carers and family. We work with children from the age of 5 years up to their 18th birthday. For Young People who require mental health support beyond the age of 18 we have transition workers to support as they move across to the most appropriate adult services.

Our job is to promote emotional wellbeing and provide treatment to Children and Young People with a range of mental health needs. By putting patient experience at the heart of everything we do, we can ensure that we are providing the very best quality services, advice, information and support to those people who need it, when they need it. Across CAMHS we work alongside our service users to develop services. We have service user groups and events and aim to include young people on interview panels and in service planning (contact dina.bokrezion@swlstg.nhs.uk if you would like to join our Service User groups).

The CAMHS community teams offer a range of assessments and treatments for Children and Young People presenting with enduring and moderate to severe mental health needs which impact significantly on daily functioning. Our community CAMHS teams are made up of a range of mental health professionals including Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Family Therapists, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists.

https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/our-services/our-key-locations/hospital/springfield-university-hospital

Services we offer

CAMHS offer a range of interventions and psychological therapies that research indicates can be effective in treating common mental health needs. These include:

  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy used to help you understand how you think about things and to change any behaviours that aren't helping you. It is normally very practical, and your therapist may ask you to put into practice what you discuss between your sessions.
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is similar to CBT in that it is about helping you understand your feelings and change unhelpful behaviour, but it also helps you learn to accept yourself. DBT is usually a longer treatment than CBT and often involves working with groups. The focus is to identify unhelpful behaviours, understand why you might have developed them, and learn new coping strategies that are more helpful in the long term.
  • Family therapy is one of the treatment options in CAMHS which involves your family coming to sessions in CAMHS with you. During family therapy sessions everyone works together to find ways for the whole family to do things differently, and there is an emphasis on drawing on the family's strengths and the different perspectives of family members
  • Interpersonal Therapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) is a 12 session therapy model focussing on helping you address problems in your relationships with important people in your life. The theory behind IPT is that having poor relationships in your life can cause you to feel depressed, and that feeling depressed can also impact upon your relationships! Working on your symptoms of depression and improving your relationships will therefore improve how you feel. In IPT-A, working together with your therapist you will identify when your depression began and the link to relationships (e.g. transitions, bereavement, interpersonal difficulties or conflict) and create improvements.
  • Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy is a treatment that focuses on a child's emotional responses and behaviour whilst naming feelings and carefully attending to what a young person says. This therapeutic process can help children and young people who are feeling troubled by anxiety or other complex feelings such as aggression, sadness, anxiety and depression.
  • Trauma focused interventions for young people who have experienced one or more traumatic events, including Trauma Focused CBT, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) or more specialist trauma approaches for Children and Young people who have experienced developmental trauma. 

We also offer consultation and training to other professionals or services in some of our Boroughs in South West London including teams who require specialist mental health input, such as Social Care teams or Youth Offending Services.

The types of difficulties that CAMHS can help with includes:

  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Obsessions and compulsions
  • Diagnosis of Neurodevelopmental conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Austism Spectrum Disorder or Condition (ASD/ASC)
  • Self-harm and Suicidal Ideation 
  • Post Taumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following exposure to traumatic events

CAMHS can also diagnose and treat serious mental health problems such as:

  • Bipolar disorder
  • Psychosis

We have community services in five locations across south west London. They provide assessment and treatment for a range of common problems. There is one in each of the five boroughs covered by the Trust.

  • Sutton
  • Merton
  • Wandsworth
  • Kingston
  • Richmond


There are also six specialist community teams, which cover all the boroughs: 

This service offers assessment where the Single Point of Access or local team have identified a clear need for assessment of possible ASD/ADHD. The comprehensive assessment leads to a diagnostic report with care plan and/or recommendations.

This is a dedicated service offered to Wandsworth patients with a learning disability. This team provides a range of services for children and young people up to 18 and their families and/or carers experiencing severe and enduring mental health difficulties. The team has expanded and is now able to offer input into Sutton and Merton, and more recently assessment and consultation into Kingston and Richmond. Please contact your local team for more information on what is available.

The EDS is an 'end to end' service for the treatment of Eating Disorders based at Springfield Hospital.

The service has strong links with local children's services at St George's Hospital. Local teams manage eating problems that are secondary or related to other disorders, such as depression.

The CAMHS Emergency Care Service (CECS) is a team of specialist nurses who provide assessment and management plans for young people up to age 18 who come to accident and emergency and children's wards having a mental health crisis.

The CECS also provide urgent 7 day follow ups for young people who are registered with a GP in one of the Trust's five boroughs and who have been seen at local and non-local hospitals.

This team provides intensive intervention and risk management support for Children and Young People who are at risk of Tier 4 (inpatient) admission across the five boroughs.

We provide an inpatient and community CAMHS services for Deaf Children and Young People (or hearing Children of Deaf Adults) in London, Kent and Cambridge.

Our Community Services

Springfield University Hospital is in Tooting and has been the primary location for mental health services in South West London for over 175 years.

As well as being the Trust Headquarters, we provide inpatient and community services to the residents of the five London boroughs we service as well as some National Specialist Services

Springfield University Hospital
61 Glenburnie Road
Tooting
London
SW17 7DJ

Telephone: 0203 513 5000

Email: ContactCentreSPH@swlstg.nhs.uk

About Springfield University Hospital

Springfield Directory

Map

We also have 3 in-patient units based at the Springfield University Hospital:

Aquarius Ward is a 12 bed mixed gendered inpatient service for young people aged 12-18 experiencing a mental health crisis, requiring short term crisis intervention in hospital.

Building 5 (Newton Building)
Entrance 8
Springfield University Hospital
Glenburnie Road
London
SW17 7DJ

Telephone: 020 3513 5000
Email: aquariusstaff@swlstg.nhs.uk

Our opening hours (24 hours)

Corner House is a six-bed national specialist assessment and treatment unit for Deaf Children and Young People up to their 18th birthday, with severe complex emotional and psychological problems.

Springfield University Hospital
The Park, Building 5
61 Glenburnie Road
Tooting
London
SW17 7DJ

Telephone: 020 3513 5000
Email: ndcamhs@swlstg.nhs.uk

Our opening hours (24 hours)

Wisteria ward is a 12-bed unit for young people between the ages of 11 and 18 with severe Eating Disorders and weight loss related to mental health problems. Wisteria is currently being renovated and will resume normal capacity in May 2022.

Newton Building

Entrance 7
Springfield University Hospital
Glenburnie Road
London
SW17 7DJ

Telephone: 020 3513 5000
Email: admin.wisteria@swlstg.nhs.uk

Our opening hours (24 hours)

 

Welcome to SWLSTG CAMHS

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Video with Dr Diana Cassell

Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)

Our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) help young people who are experiencing mental health needs.

These services are provided in a range of community locations across five London Boroughs of Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth, as well as in our Inpatient wards (Aquarius, Wisteria and Corner House) based at Springfield Hospital.

 

We provide specialist NHS Mental Health services for Children, Young People, Parents and Carers

CAMHS can help with a range of difficulties and needs, including: 

  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Obsessions or Compulsions
  • Diagnosis of Neurodevelopmental Conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder/Condition (ASD/ASC)
  • Self-harm and Suicidal Ideation
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following exposure to traumatic events

CAMHS can also diagnose and treat serious mental health problems such as:

  • Bipolar disorder
  • Psychosis
Children in rainbow flag

What can you expect at CAMHS?

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) help Children and Young People who are experiencing mental health issues. Our services can be found in  our services can be found in schools, local community clinics or at our main site at Spring University Hospital.

When you come to your first CAMHS appointment you may feel nervous about meeting new people and talking about any difficulties and it's common for people to feel this way at their first appointment.  We will do our best to make you feel comfortable, to move at a pace that suits you and to answer any questions you may have.

During your first appointment we may ask you about your family history and background, how long you have had been having difficulties, as well as information about your strengths and the things you enjoy. We may ask you to fill in some questionnaires. The information you provide will help us to think about which service will be best placed to meet your needs.

Most young people find that talking and trying out different solutions to their problems helps them. Some young people also need medication. Coming to CAMHS does not mean you're 'mental', 'strange' or different'. In fact, 1 in 10 young people has a diagnosable mental health disorder and 1 in 4 people overall in the UK struggles with poor mental health.

What is CAMHS?

CAMHS is the name for the services that assess and treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health needs.

CAMHS support covers a wide range of conditions and needs.

CAMHS is a safe place where we can work together to try and understand what it is happening with you, and how to help you to be make the most of your adolescence.

All CAMHS clinicians have had specialist training in assessment, formulation and intervention that mean they can work with Children, Young People and their families who present with mental health difficulties.

We work as a team and with you we can work out the best way to help you to feel better.

Who works at CAMHS?

In our community CAMHS services we have Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Systemic Family Therapists, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists, and Clinical Nurse Specialists. Many of our clinical staff have additional training in therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.

Across our school services we have Psychologists, Education or Child Wellbeing Practitioners and some Allied Health Professionals including Occupational Therapists and Art Therapists.

Across our inpatient units we have CAMHS clinicians such as Mental Health Nurses, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Family Therapists as well as Dieticians and Allied Health Professionals such as Occupational Therapists and Art Therapists.

 

Want to join one of our CAMHS teams? View our vacancies across the Trust and get in touch if you would like to discuss a vacancy within our services and what the Trust can offer you! Vacancies (swlstg.nhs.uk)

 

 

Clinical Director

Dr Diana Cassell - Clinical Director Child and Adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and All Age Eating Disorders (ED)

Head of CAMHS Psychology and Psychotherapies

Dr Rachel Tucker - Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy - Child and Adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and All Age Eating Disorders (ED)

Images created by young people using the CAMHS services


Duty / Crisis line for Young People and Families

Mon Fri: 5pm 10pm Weekends: 9am 9pm

SLP CAMHS Crisis Line

Telephone: 0203 228 5980

Monday to Friday 5pm-10pm. Saturday to Sunday 9am to 10pm. For all other times please contact the Oxleas Urgent Advice line on 0800 330 8590.

SWLSTG Mental Health Support

Telephone: 0800 028 8000

If you live in any of the five of our London boroughs: Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth and you need mental health support in a crisis you can call our 24/7

 

If you need urgent/ life threatening medical attention' call 999 or attend your local A&E

 

 

Local borough CAMHS/SPA for Young People and Professionals

All local borough CAMHS/ SPA for all Young People and Professionals lines are open:

Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm (Excluding Bank Holidays)

Sutton SPA/T3

Telephone: 0203 513 3800

Jubilee Health Centre
East 6 Stanley Park Road
Wallington
SM6 0EX
Email: SuttonSPAadmin@swlstg.nhs.uk 

Merton SPA/T3

Telephone: 0800 292 2505

Birches House
Birches Close
Cricket Green
Mitcham
London
CR4 4LQ
Email: MertonSPAreferrals@swlstg.nhs.uk

Wandsworth SPA/T3

Telephone: 0203 513 5000
Trinity Building,Springfield University Hospital
15 Springfield Drive
London
SW17 0WF

Email: WandsworthCAMHS@swlstg.nhs.uk


Richmond & Kingston SPA/T3

Telephone: 0208 547 6171

We offer treatment and assessment via face to face, online consultation and telephone (or a combination of these).

All visitors to must comply with handwashing, social distancing and infection control instructions to protect other visitors, patients and staff.

  • Visiting is allowed in some wards
  • Anyone showing symptoms of Covid-19 must not visit
  • Visits must be booked in advance with the ward
  • Please confirm a negative lateral flow test on the day of visiting
  • Please help us to keep everyone safe

Link to Covid-19 information

Link to our visiting poster

Access to lateral flow test devices: Members of the public can access lateral flow devices from the Gov.uk website

 

 

finding your feet

Thinking of returning to nursing? Your skills and experience are needed more than ever before, and there has never been a better time to return to nursing and it is easier than you might think.

The Return to Practice Programme

The Return to Practice Programme prepares you for re-entry into the professional register and is an essential requirement for returning to nursing and regaining registration. The programme will refresh your skills, leaving you ready to return to nursing with confidence. It involves a combination of classroom and placement-based learning, so you can get stuck in right from the start.

Watch this short video "Once a nurse, always a nurse", where returners Sharon, Damian and Gertrude speak about their journeys back to nursing.

The Return to Practice programme offers nurses with a lapsed registration an opportunity to become active again on the NMC register with a view that this will lead to employment as a registered nurse. Please read this guide to help you understand the programme.

Watch We Are Returning Nurses (Bridget's story)

How to apply

Led by supportive tutors, assessors and supervisors, there are 4 University programmes available across London, all created to refresh your nursing skills so that you’re ready to return to practice. Please click on the links below to be taken to the University websites to find out more about the programmes and how to apply:

Here at Southwest London & St George’s Mental Health Trust we offer placements at our Springfield and Tolworth Hospital sites, and you will be supported in your placements to achieve all the required proficiencies.

If you are looking to return to a Mental Health Nursing or Learning Disability Nursing, please contact the University to ensure they offer the programme you require.

Financial support for your studies   

You won’t just be emotionally supported; you’ll be financially supported too. NHS Health Education England (HEE) will provide funding towards your course fees. You’ll also either be given a bursary to help cover any childcare, travel, and book costs, or you will be paid a salary, depending on the route you take to return. 

Key Contacts

If you would like to find out more information about returning to practice, please email:

South West London Return to Practice Lead: khft.rtpswl@nhs.net

 The student experience team at Southwest London & St George’s Mental Health Trust: StudentExperience@swlstg.nhs.uk   

Or returntopractice.london@hee.nhs.uk

 

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