If you think you need a referral to the Community mental health team (CMHT), first talk to your GP and they’ll contact us directly if we’re needed.

Each CMHT for older people is located in the the heart of the community they serve in order to make it accessible and to allow for rapid response and continuity of service provision and care. Services provided are a partnership arrangement between us and Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust.

Our teams cover Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

What we do  

We provide assessment, treatment and support to older people with mental health conditions, based on 3 guiding principles:  

• person-centred care: we will listen to your views and those who care for you as we value the experience and skills of older people, recognising the differing needs of each person and developing services to respond to your individual needs 
• partnership: evidence of collaboration should be found at all levels - between organisations, between professionals, between you, family members and professional carers 
• evidence-based practice: services should use evidence from research and have robust systems for evaluation and continuous development.  

How to make a referral  

Call 01202 123 654 for referrals for social care. Referrals for health assessment should be made through your GP.  

Who we can help    

We can:  

• help people with functional mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression 
• provide a memory assessment service people with organic mental health concerns 
• assist carers of older people with conditions mentioned above.  

Our services  

We offer:  

• comprehensive mental health assessment and treatment 
• development of person-centred care plan with you and those you want to involve to meet your needs 
• support from a multi-disciplinary team 
• home care services where required 
• day centre provision by health, social care services or the independent sector 
• respite care in accommodation to suit your assessed needs. 

Costs  

We do not charge you for our services. However, you may have to pay for some other social care services you get. How much you pay will depend on your financial situation.