Anyone know what to expect in a secondary care assessment?

feeky1973

Hi would be really helpful to hear if anyone has had a secondary care assessment and whats is involved, thanks  

feeky1973

Hi Sorry I probably didnt explain properly as I find the process confusing.  I meant a secondary care mental health assessment. I think its also sometimes called community mental health team assessment.  I'm finding it a bit confusing & confused as to what would be involved. 
If anyone could help explain so I'm less confused that'd be amazing!  LOL  

Adrian_Scope

Hello @feeky1973. This is quite a difficult one to answer as it will depend on the reason you've been referred and your individual circumstances. 
They will mostly be discussing with you what areas you may need support with and seeing whether they can offer you the support you need. 

When is your assessment? 

I've found a detailed page by Rethink on the different teams which gives some information on what you may be asked at the assessment: 

"You will be asked about things such as the following.

• Your thoughts, feelings and actions
• Your symptoms and experiences
• Support you already have
• If you care for anyone
• Your housing and financial needs
• Your employment and training needs
• Your relationships
• Cultural or religious needs
• Drug or alcohol use
• Your current coping techniques
• What you want to achieve in the future

You might be asked about things that have happened in your past. Some people find this difficult. Don’t be afraid to say if you don't feel comfortable to talk about something.

Give the team any information that you think is important to help them to understand your needs. The team will only be able to support you with things that you tell them about. If you find certain topics hard to discuss you could write down what you want to say before the appointment and hand the paper to the professional to read.

Your treatment or care plan should meet your mental health needs. You should be involved in the planning of your care. Your wishes for support and treatment should be listened to. You should be at the centre of your care. This is called a person-centred approach. Talk to your care team if you feel as though you are not being involved enough with your care. You can also involve any carers, friends or family in your care planning. They should be encouraged to share their views. You should be asked on different occasions if you would like your family to be involved with your care.

Your care might involve help from 1 team member. Or you might work with different members of the team."