What happens if I need to go into hospital?

Most people can get all the help they need without coming into hospital. However, people sometimes need more intensive assessment or support in a safe environment.

If this is the case we may recommend that you come into hospital for a period. We will discuss this with you and explain why we think it is necessary and how long you might need to stay for.

Many people choose to come to hospital. But sometimes people become so unwell that it is necessary to admit them into hospital so that we can assess and treat them in the best interests of their health or safety.

A person can only be admitted to hospital against their wishes if  strict procedures are followed which are set out in the Mental Health Act. Usually two doctors and an approved mental health professional must agree that a person needs to be detained in hospital. You can find more information about the Mental Health Act here.

If you do need to come into hospital, we will ensure that you are given information about your rights and that you are only in hospital for as long as you need. Your friends and family can visit you and we will make sure they know of their rights too.

When you first arrive on a ward you will be given a welcome pack which will give you and your family all the information you need to know.

We are taking great precautions and changing ways of working across our services during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of all our staff and patients.

We are offering more virtual (online or telephone) appointments, to ensure that patients are only brought on-site where necessary, helping us to adhere to social distancing. Please refer to the information in your appointment letter to confirm how your appointment will take place. If you need any support using digital methods to access a virtual appointment, please call the number on your letter and we will help you get this.  If you wish to request a face-to-face appointment, please call us and we will try to accommodate this.

Face-to-face appointments: Please do not attend your appointment if you have COVID-19 symptoms (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss of sense of taste / smell) or if you or your family are self-isolating.

When you visit our sites:

• Wear a face covering. We will provide you with one if needed. Children under 12, and anyone with an exemption, will not need to wear a mask, in line with government guidelines.
• To minimise the risk of infection, and to support social distancing, we need to limit the number of people on-site. So we ask you to attend your appointment alone, unless you have assistance or communication needs.
• Please arrive no more than 10 minutes early for your appointment, ensure you sanitise your hands upon arrival and respect social distancing guidance during your visit, including while with your clinician

Planning your care and support

Every person who uses our services receives an assessment of their mental health needs and a plan of the care and support they will receive.

Everybody who uses our services also has one named person who co-ordinates their care and support. This person will be called either a named professional or, if your needs are more complex, a care co-ordinator or named professional.

This person should be your main point of contact and you can talk with them about how your treatment and support are going.

Care planning and crisis planning

Your care co-ordinator or named professional will work with you to come up with a written plan describing the care and support you will receive from us. This is called a care plan and you will be given a copy to keep. The plan will be revised regularly.

The care plan will also cover:

• Steps you can take to keep mentally well
• any support provided by the local social services department
• issues relating to health, medication, housing, income and employment
• issues about support from carers, family or friends.

Your care co-ordinator or named professional will be someone involved in your care such as a psychiatrist, social worker or community mental health nurse.

Everyone involved in the care plan will be offered a copy including you, your carer (if applicable) and your GP.

If you have developed an advance statement of wishes (also sometimes called an Advance Directive) you may wish to include some of this in your care plan. Your care co-ordinator or named professional will be able to help you do this.

You can find more about care planning in our patient information leaflets.

Register for the Recovery College

Thank you for your interest in joining South West London Recovery College.

We need some information about you for our records; this is in case we need to contact you or the team/service that you receive services from.

*Please contact the Recovery College on 0203 513 5818 if you wish to discuss this further.