Home Treatment Teams

Home Treatment Teams support people living in the community, aged 16 years old or above who have moderate to complex or serious mental health problems across Lancashire.

The teams have various functions including assessment, gate keeping and a home treatment function as an alternative to admission. This also includes facilitating early discharge from hospital.

We aim to provide a safe and effective alternative to in-patient care by helping people through times of mental health crisis in their own home environment.

We operate a 24 hour service.

Our aims include:

• We will respond and provide immediate triage by call handler
• Act as a gatekeeper by the prevention of avoidable admission to hospital of persons experiencing mental health crises
• Facilitating admission to hospital or crisis accommodation or day treatment service where this is the most appropriate intervention
• Minimise the length of hospital admission by facilitating early discharge and access to intensive home treatment

The teams are made up of:

• Psychiatrists
• Nurses
• Support Time and Recovery Workers
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Admin Supports

How to access the service

The team accepts referrals for adults (16 years old and over) with severe mental illness with an acute psychiatric crisis of such severity that, without the involvement of a home treatment team, hospitalisation would be necessary.

Referrals will go through the Specialist Triage, Assessment and Referral Team (START), Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, unless a person is already under the care of a mental health team, in which case their care co-ordinator will refer them directly. 

Outside of these hours referrals will be received from all sources.