Older People’s Mental Health – Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership
Psychiatry of Old Age
In Edinburgh the GP can refer an older adult in a care home to Psychiatry of Old Age through SCI-Gateway. These referrals are then triaged to the most appropriate team or professional depending on the difficulty described and the level of risk. The service is for individuals who are 65 or over, but the team does see people under the age of 65 where there is a diagnosis of dementia.
Referrals to Psychiatry of Old Age are triaged to a Consultant Psychiatrist, a Community Mental Health Nurse (CPN), an Occupational Therapist, a Physiotherapist, a Psychologist or the Edinburgh Behaviour Support Service based on the information the GP provides at referral. We also work closely with social services and many other relevant agencies.
The Rapid Response Team (RRT) is an Edinburgh wide mental health nursing team.
The service has three main objectives:
- To prevent admission to psychiatric hospital for older people with mental ill health and for people living with young onset dementia.
- The RRT will also facilitate early discharge from hospital by providing intensive support at home.
- All admissions to the Older Peoples Mental Health wards in Edinburgh will be discussed with the RRT who will consider if providing intensive support in the patient’s own home is more appropriate.
Referrals to the RRT are for people who require a rapid response to a mental health crisis.
Patients must be seen by GP within 24-48 hours prior to referral, and a delirium screen should be completed.
All referrals to RRT require a telephone call to the service prior to sending electronic referral forms.
The RRT referral line is: 0131 537 6882
