Scotland’s first of its kind mental health service wins national accolade

This award aims to recognise those who have succeeded in raising standards of care for their patients and clients and have made an outstanding contribution to the care of service users.

Newly established, this nurse-led Mental Health Unscheduled Care Assessment Hub is the first of its kind in Scotland. The Hub provides 24-hour assessment and short-term therapeutic interventions for up to 72 hours, supporting patients to remain safely in the community and limiting unnecessary inpatient admissions. The Hub works closely with the Intensive Community Psychiatric Nurse Team (ICPNT) to facilitate smooth transitions between community and inpatient settings, support early discharge, and providing step-down care when needed. In its first year, the Hub managed 256 admissions, returning 76% of patients directly to the community.

The judges praised the Hub’s nurse-led care model which reduces unnecessary delays out-of-hours as the service is always staffed by clinicians who are able to safely assess, agree and arrange patient admission, care and treatment, and discharge processes. Head Judge, Margaux Lobban, said: “We were particularly impressed that the hub has not only been found to benefit the individuals who access it, and their loved ones and carers, but it has proven highly beneficial to the wider health services, in particular emergency service colleagues.”

Congratulating the Hub on their win, Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director said: “Mental health nursing care is key to supporting patients and clients who are in crisis. The nursing team at the Hub is at the forefront of reducing waiting times for accessing assessment, ensuring people get the care they need, when they need it. Well done.”

Congratulations also go to runner up, His Majesty's Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Lillias Centre nursing team in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and our highly commended finalists the Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit Nursing Team at the Carseview Centre in NHS Tayside.

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