Westminster Home Treatment Rapid Response Team helps avoid admission to a mental health inpatient ward by providing intensive support to people in acute mental crisis in their homes.

The team includes a rapid response service (to respond to emergency and urgent referrals) 24-hours a day. Emergency and urgent referrals should be made through the Single Point of Access which is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. All patients are provided with a crisis card with details of who to call in an emergency.

The team provides support for people who:

  • Are over the age of 18.
  • Are a resident of Westminster or registered with a Westminster general practitioner (GP).
  • Are in an acute phase of serious mental illness, or are suspected to have an acute mental illness. This may include service users who have a dual diagnosis, such as a learning disability or substance misuse.
  • Are suffering a relapse of a long term mental illness.
  • Are vulnerable or at risk of harm to themselves or others, who cannot be safely supported in a community setting without an intensive level of support, care and treatment.

The team is unable to support people who:

  • Are under the age of 18.
  • Are not in an acute phase of a serious mental illness.
  • Could not be safely treated within a community or residential setting, due to risks posed by the environment or individual.
  • Have a primary diagnosis of alcohol or other substance misuse, or a learning disability, or a physical problem, without a mental health problem.
  • Have a primary organic diagnosis at any age, such as dementia.
  • Are in crisis that is social in nature, and where there is no current evidence of acute mental disorder.
  • Cannot be safely managed in the community, such as those at risk of offending.

The team accepts referrals from other secondary mental health services, which include:

  • Single Point of Access
  • Community mental health teams
  • Early intervention teams
  • Assertive outreach teams
  • Psychiatric liaison services
  • Acute inpatient wards (to facilitate early discharge)
  • Any other secondary specialist teams
  • Other (out of area) hospitals where a CNWL service user has been assessed to need home treatment

The team is unable to accept referrals from:

  • GPs – who should refer to the Single Point of Access 
  • Hostels and other non-statutory services, such as supported houses or day centres, which should use the GP referral pathways as above.
  • Police: section 136 presentations will be assessed as per local agreement.

The team is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Bus: 2, 24, 36, 185, 507

Train: Southern

London Underground: Pimlico station (District line and Victoria line)