Community Mental Health Team for Older People: Runnymede & West Elmbridge

The Older People’s Community Mental Health Team offers assessment, diagnosis, treatment and support for people over 65 who present with functional mental health illnesses; deterioration in cognition and/or dementia. Access to the service is via a single point of access, whereby all referrals are discussed by the multi-disciplinary team and the most appropriate range of assessment/treatment and support offered. Within the team we have doctors, mental health nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, social care practitioners and support workers. The team works closely with other services, such as social care, and also with the voluntary sector, particularly the Alzheimer’s Society, to provide positive support for people using services and their carers ensuring effective forward signposting where appropriate. A range of options are available depending on the needs of the person using services, these options will be discussed fully with individuals who present to these services.

The team's Memory Services are rated 'Excellent' with the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Memory Services National Accreditation Programme (MSNAP), which works with services to assure and improve the quality of memory services for people with memory problems/dementia and their carers.