The national acute mental health project was set up in 2005 as a formal pertnership between the NIMHE acute care programme, The National Mental Health Partnership (subsequently the NHS confederation MH network) and the Deaprtment of Health to provide a more focussed and coordinated approach between key stakeholders to achieve service improvement and more effective outcomes for those people experiencing, at risk of, or recovering from a mental health crisis.

The core components of the acute programme include: Crisis resolution/home treatment teams, respite / crisis house provision, inpatient beds, acute day treatment services, PICU, places of safety and step-down / supported housing provision.

Following our collaborative work with the Healthcare Commission regarding their review of acute inpatient care, our key objective for 2009/10 is to lead in collectively responding to their recommendations outlined in Pathway to Recovery regarding acute inpatient care and the National Audit Office's VFM review of Crisis Resolution Home Treatment.

To read either of these reports, click on the following links:

• Healthcare Commission Pathway to Recovery report
• The NAO The role of crisis resolution and home treatment services

For more information on acute mental health care please visit the dedicated acute mental health ward website:  www.virtualward.org.uk or contact Karen.batty@yhip.org.uk tel: 07990533659

Resources

• Acute Mental Health Services in North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus - Presentation
  
• HOPE PROMOTION: Acute Care Practice Development Network - Presentaiton
  
• Suicide Prevention in Yorkshire & Humber 2003 – 2010 - Presentation
  
• High Volume Care: Rapid Improvement Programme - Presentation
  
• Productive Mental Health Ward: Regional Network - Presentation
  
• National Mental Health Development Unit Acute Care Newsletter - Feb 2010
  
• Patient survey report 2009: North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus
  
• Patient survey report 2009: Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
  
• Patient survey report 2009: Bradford District Care Trust
  
• Patient survey report 2009: South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
  
• Patient survey report 2009: Rotherham, Doncaster & S.Humber Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
  
• Patient survey report 2009: Humber Mental Health Teaching NHS Trust
  
• Patient survey report 2009: Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust
  
• Patient survey report 2009: North Yorkshire and York PCT
  
• Issues highlighted by 2009 survey of mental health acute inpatient services
  This Care Quality Commission briefing provides key findings from the first ever systematic national survey of people’s experiences of acute inpatient mental health services.