What is the Primary Care Liaison Service (PCLS)?
We are a team of specialist mental health professionals who provide advice and assessment for people living in B&NES.
Who do we see?
The team sees anyone over the age of 18, presenting with a mental health difficulty and who is registered with a Bath and North East Somerset GP.
How does it work?
A GP, other professional, or friend/family member can contact us about someone who
is experiencing mental health difficulties.
You can also refer yourself directly.
Following the referral, you will either be initially contacted by a Bath MIND Access practitioner or a Primary Care Liaison Practitioner, who will make contact and ask questions about the presenting mental health difficulty. If you do not receive a call you will be provided with written advice on how to access local community groups.
Advice and support will be given. The advice may be on how to access local community groups, or other self-help advice.
The PCLS may then offer you an assessment to discuss the nature of your difficulties in more detail.
We provide telephone and/or face to face assessments or by video link.
You may want to have someone present who provides support to you. They may also be asked their view of your difficulties
What happens after the assessment?
The team will review the information they have gathered and make a decision about
next steps.
This could involve
- providing information on useful resources and services available.
- offering you a further appointment with our team to build on our understanding of your difficulties and to better work out what kind of intervention may support your recovery.
If we feel you need more specialist treatment, then we will transfer your care into one of the specialist Mental Health Services.
Support for carers, family and friends
We recognise that living with or supporting someone who is experiencing mental health difficulties may be stressful, upsetting , worrying and can sometimes have an impact on your own mental health.
The Carers’ Centre
Within B&NES, carers’ support is provided by The Carers’ Centre. banescarerscentre.org.uk
You can contact them directly
Freephone: 0800 0388 885
Email: info
Address:
Bath Carers’ Centre, The Woodlands, Bath, BA2 9ES
Radstock Carers’ Centre, 1 Riverside Cottages, Radstock, Avon BA3 3PS
Useful numbers
Samaritans
B&NES Primary Care Talking Therapies
01225 675150
Bath MIND
DHI Drug and Alcohol Support
Alzheimer’s Society
Citizens Advice Bureau
Southside Family Support
The Care Forum
Hope guide
Contact
We can be contacted between 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday on: 01225 371480 (Outside of these hours calls will be redirected to the AWP Trust switchboard)
If you need support outside of these hours, you can contact B&NES Intensive Team
on 01225 362814.
B&NES Primary Care Liaison Service, Hillview Lodge, Royal United Hospital, Bath, BA1 3NG
BSL Video Relay
https://connect.interpreterslive.co.uk/vrs?ilc=AvonWiltshireMHT and ask for our number; or for switchboard 01225 731731 to connect you.
For information on Trust services visit: www.awp.nhs.uk
PALS
To make a comment, raise a concern or make a complaint, please contact the Trust’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Tel: 01225 362 900
Freephone: 0800 073 1778
Email: awp
Other language and formats
Please ask contact us if you need this information in another language or another way (large print, audio).
Lead: Banes PCLS Manager
Leaflet code: 042A AWP
Approved July 2024
Next review due: July 2027