On this page…
Here for you - looking after your mental health and providing support for older adults living in the community.
Who do we see?
We accept referrals for people whose GP is in Warrington. Some services that we work with only accept referrals for people who pay their council tax to Warrington Borough Council, for example, Warrington Wellbeing Service, Social Services, Equipment Stores, Care Call Service. This will only affect you if you pay your council tax to a different borough council. We will forward referrals onto those boroughs, if required, following assessment.
How to access our service
If you’re worried about your memory, visit your GP and explain your concerns. Your GP will do a memory test. This will trigger a referral to the memory service if the score raises concerns.
Your GP will arrange blood tests and request a urine sample; this is to eliminate infection or physical health causes for your memory problems.
Who is in our team?
The team provides a multidisciplinary approach with access to a wide range of professionals: clinical team manager, deputy team manager, clinical team lead, senior nurse practitioners, specialist occupational therapists, consultant psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, speciality trainee doctor, support workers, clinical pharmacist, assistant practitioners, office manager, medical/team secretaries, clerical assistants.
What we do
Respond rapidly to urgent and routine referrals to carry out mental health and memory assessments to promote early intervention, diagnosis and treatment.
Offer you and significant others support in treatment, choice and care. Offer support and advice on issues relating to the management of symptoms and behaviours associated with mental illness, including dementia.
We work with other agencies and professionals within the community to promote proactive, client centred care. For example, Wellbeing Service, Alzheimer’s society, GPs, district nurses, community matrons and social workers.
What happens next?
Referrals are screened by our assessment team who will contact you to offer a convenient appointment either at the Beckett Unit or at your home. You will then receive an appointment letter, if required.
On the day of your assessment, you will be seen by one of our senior nurse practitioners. The assessment takes approximately one and a half hours. You and your relative/carer will be informed of the assessment process. Your consent is needed to proceed with the assessment.
The assessment will include an informal discussion regarding your concerns and you; your family/carer will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the interview.
Formal testing of your memory is also included, which looks at all areas of your memory and cognition.
The assessment outcome will be discussed with you and your family/carer, and a plan of care will be arranged, if needed. This may include further investigations such as a CT brain scan and ECG, or further assessment via our occupational therapist, followed by a review by our consultants at outpatient clinic.
Driving will also be discussed in line with results from your cognitive assessment. A diagnosis of dementia is not in itself a reason to stop driving. One in three people with dementia still drive. If you wish to continue driving, it is a legal requirement that you inform DVLA once a diagnosis has been made. Drive Ability North West offer driving assessments if you want to check that you’re still able to drive safely.
A referral to an occupational therapist (OT) within LLAMS can happen at any stage of your journey. During a home visit, the OT will work with you to gain a picture of how you’re managing in all aspects of daily life.
To help meet your needs the therapist may:
- Advise on safety and security at home
- Ask you to prepare a hot drink or snack
- Discuss leisure activities and interests that are important to you
- Consider the needs of your family and carers and what help is available.
Areas considered during an OT assessment:
- Communication skills
- Functional skills - personal care, hygiene and domestic
- Medication compliance
- Physical functional needs
- Cognitive and perception skills
- The home environment
- Appropriate aids and equipment
- Social and interpersonal skills – identifying social/support networks
- Financial abilities
- Road safety and orientation when out and about.
The results of your brain scan along with the assessments will be discussed with you by the consultant at clinic and a diagnosis and appropriate medication will be decided, if appropriate.
If medication is prescribed you will be followed up by the memory team. A further routine follow up will be arranged, if you are stable and have no concerns you will be discharged from LLAMS back to your GP who will prescribe your medication and monitor your condition.
If you have any concerns following discharge, please contact your GP who will complete relevant health checks and refer you back in to our service if needed.
We can be contacted between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). We value every call that we receive, please phone: 01925 664 041.
Aims of the service
The Older Adult Community Hub specialises in meeting the needs of older adults with mental illness and dementia. This dedicated service spans four teams: Assessment, Memory, Community Mental Health (CMHT) and the Care Home Liaison Team.
We provide innovative, whole person intervention and treatment through a multidisciplinary approach. Providing rapid and responsive input that includes assessment, intervention, treatment, evaluation, support and education.
Service hours
We can be contacted between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
We value every call that we receive, please phone: 01925 664 041
For more information contact:
Older Adult Community Hub
Beckett Unit, Hollins Park
Hollins Lane, Winwick
Warrington, WA2 8WA.
Our patients matter
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust listens and responds to patients and their carers to help improve the services we deliver. If you have any comments, compliments or concerns you can speak with a member
of staff or contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints Team.
Telephone: 0151 471 2377 or 0800 328 2941
Email: palsandcomplaints
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
V7 Building
Kings Business Park
Prescot
L34 1PJ
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