Question

How to guarantee that every client referred to a mobile crisisteam is seen by a psychiatrist?

Problem description

When a client is referred to the mobile crisis team, he is asked to come to the psychiatrist. This can be refused by the client. During the support by the team, it is perfectly possible that a client is not seen by a psychiatrist, even if the client is in an acute psychiatric crisis. So, not all clients of Impact are seen by the psychiatrist

Impact - effect

The psychiatrist assesses the risk without seeing the client, his assessment is based on the observations he gets from the team members doing the home visits.  Regardless of the quality of risk assessment by team members, the input and observations of the psychiatrist can be a great value in the accompaniment of a client.  The psychiatrist is present at the daily team meetings, advising and supporting us, but it’s somewhat paradoxical that this happens without having met the client

To do

To do: in North Holland North (NHN) the clients will not be followed by the team if they refuse to meet the psychiatrist.  When a client has his own psychiatrist, this psychiatrist is asked to take over the responsibility during the period that the client is followed by the mobile team.  If not, than a meeting was arranged with the psychiatrist of the crisis team.   In NHN Psychiatrist do make home visits on a regular bases, and client could easily make appointments with the psychiatrist, which facilitates the involvement of psychiatrists in risk assessment

Theme

Role of psychiatrists

Topic

clinical / medical responsibility

Reference -  contact

Pieter Devos

Mobile team

2a

Project

Zuid West-Vlaanderen

Intership abroad - place

Noord-Holland-Noord (IHT)

Date

November 2014