How does the service work?

We aim to focus on you as an individual and the physical and mental health needs you may have. We also consider how wider social issues may be impacting on you and your wellbeing as part of this process.

Once we have received a request from a health professional we will arrange a call with you to initially discuss your needs and expectations. This will be a 30 minute phone call with a qualified member of the team. If you have additional access needs your health professional will let us know. 

If you believe we can help, we will invite you to an assessment and treatment planning appointment. These are held either face to face, over a video call or on the telephone, depending on which option works best for you.

Your treatment plan may include:

  • Regular measurements of how you’re doing. This helps to map your recovery journey. 
  • Advice on your current treatment (including known medication) and things which might complement it.
  • One to one sessions with a mental health professional in line with the goals you have set.
  • Group work programmes - small groups of six to ten people with mental health professionals on hand.
  • Signposting and supporting to access other specialist mental health teams
  • Being introduced to wider local services such as voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations who we closely work with and who can support any of your identified social issue needs
  • Access to an annual ‘serious mental illness physical health check’ and health coaches

We will support you to focus on your goals and to access your local community resources.

We want to empower you on your recovery journey and we will encourage and enable you at each stage.

Who is the service for?

This service is for people over the age of 18 who are living in Sheffield and registered with a Sheffield General Practice.

We cannot provide treatment to patients while they are staying abroad or in other parts of the country.

Patient stories

Read what our patients have to say.

Associated services

Find out more about the organisations that make all of this possible.

Your consent

Your consent to our input with your care is really important and should be obtained by your GP if they refer you to our team. If you self-refer, you will be asked to give us your consent to supporting you as part of the registration process.

We may also ask you for your consent to refer you to other services who may be able help you.

We could also ask for your consent to share information with wider services involved in your care, support and treatment. This is to help us to work more effectively with other organisations involved in your care to ensure we are all working towards the best outcomes for you. You may change or withdraw your consent at any time.
 

Where is the service based?

We aim to see you close to your home and in your local community.

The teams are mainly based in the 15 Primary Care Networks which form the GP practices in Sheffield and we see patients mostly in these GP practices or through video or phone calls. In some parts of the city we see people in other community buildings such as a VCSE provider’s premises.

When you are sent an appointment it will be clear where and when your appointment is. 

We also have a number of administration sites across Sheffield, including our headquarters at Primary Care Sheffield.

How will I be referred to the service?

You could be referred to our team by a different mental health team or following discussion with your GP if they feel this team could help you.

From spring 2024, you will also be able to self-refer to our team.

Everybody accessing this service will be offered a minimum of three appointments. This includes face to face and virtual appointments.

If you do not cancel your appointment and do not attend, or if you cancel your appointment less than 24 hours beforehand, we will try to contact you and book another appointment.

If you do not attend three consecutive appointments, we will ask you to opt-in to continued contact with the service. This will be through a letter sent to you.

If you reply to this then we will book another appointment. If you do not respond to this, or do not attend another appointment afterwards, we will need to consider discharging you from the service. This decision will depend on any other circumstances we should consider.

You can read our full policy on appointments and missed appointments here.

In special circumstances we will need to make decisions about whether or not to transfer your treatment to a different team attached to your GP practice in Sheffield, for example if you move home and register with a different GP in the city or if you move to Sheffield from elsewhere. 

When this happens we will try to prioritise continuity of care for you, and at all times we will communicate you in a planned and structured way. This may be in written form or verbally.

You can read our full patient transfer and special allocation scheme process here.

Who might help with my care, support and treatment?

To best meet your needs, there is a wide team which works alongside your GP and primary care team to give you the right support.

Rather than being seen by one single person, you may be supported by a range of people each with a different set of specialist skills to help you.

Here are some of the people you could meet:

A mental health practitioner’s role is to identify your strengths and mental health needs. They plan with you how to treat your condition. They provide one to one mental health treatment.

A psychological therapist helps you understand how different aspects of your difficulties fit together and what it is that you wish to change. They create a plan of psychological interventions that will enable you to achieve these goals in a way that is meaningful to you and improves your life and wellbeing. They provide one to one mental health treatment.

A clinical associate psychologist helps you understand how different aspects of your difficulties fit together and what it is that you wish to change; and to create a plan of psychological interventions that will enable you to achieve these goals in a way that is meaningful to you and improves your life and wellbeing.

These work alongside service users, families, carers and multidisciplinary team (MDT) members to deliver a set of wellbeing focused, psychologically informed interventions. They provide a mix of one to one and group mental health treatment.

Occupational therapy can help you with practical tasks if you are physically disabled, recovering from an illness or operation, have learning disabilities, have mental health problems or are getting older. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and can look at all aspects of daily life in your home, school or workplace. They look at activities you find difficult and see if there's another way you can do them. They provide a mix of one to one and group mental health treatment.

This role is here to support you to make decisions about the use of medicines for mental health to ensure you get the most out of your medications. They will work together with other members of the mental health team and healthcare professionals to support your individual needs.

Sometimes your GP or mental health worker might want some extra advice around medication or your wider mental health needs. Your worker can contact a psychiatrist or GP with a special interest in mental health for advice and support without needing an appointment.

Community connectors are here to support you to be able to identify any needs associated with encouraging you to engage in any meaningful activities, which will include exploring social and community activities. This is done with the aim of developing and expanding your social networks to enable you to live your best life.

The VCSE sector works as part of the mental health team. The teams involved will offer you some of the services or activities they can provide that will help you in relation to your social issues.

Health coaches aim to reduce health inequalities of those living with severe mental illness and complex mental health needs though annual screenings, routine screenings and reviews. They offer a trauma informed, holistic approach and meaningful interventions.

The Short-Term Educational Programme provide free educational courses that are designed to help with a range of mental health conditions. The team aims to work with people to build their confidence, develop positive coping strategies to support mental health and emotional wellbeing.

An individual placement and support worker is a specialist in helping you to look for your future employment options - if the time is right for you to look at this. They can help you access training, explore employment options and can help your future employer to understand your mental health needs.

This team works with all of the people involved in your care to help to ensure everything is planned and organised. You may also speak to the administration team if you need to contact the service with any questions or queries about your support.

Related content

How we are transforming mental healthcare

Find out about the programme which has seen organisations and people across Sheffield come together to develop this new service - an integrated primary and community mental health offer for those with serious mental illness (SMI).

Patient stories

Hear from patients about the experiences they have had with the Sheffield Primary and Community Mental Health Service.

Associated services

Find out about the services in Sheffield which are associated with the Primary and Community Mental Health Service.

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