Mental Health Floating Support Service and the Out of Hours Telephone Support Service

Overview

The service is commission to provide a low to medium risk housing related floating support service for adults with primary diagnosis of mental health needs including dual diagnosis. This service is offered to individuals who are subject to Section 117 aftercare and or who’s needs have been assessed under the Community Care Act.

The service operates only on week days between 8:30am – 6:00pm with some elements of the service available outside of normal working hours [early evening and weekend].

The floating support service has availability for 112 customers.

The floating support service is a short-term service, which normally means that an individual programme of support will last for up to 2 years. However, where there is good reason for support to continue beyond 2 years we would endorse continuing the provision of the service up to the point where the customers no longer require it, or an alternative service would be more appropriate.

What we offer

• Support customers to develop and maintain independent living skills
• Support customers to maintain their tenancy
• Work in partnership with external agencies to support the customer with their well being
• Plan and deliver outcome focussed, person centred support
• Support customers to achieve their aspirations

Areas supported

The service is able to provide support in the following areas:

• Budgeting, paying bills and preventing debts.
• Support with applying for welfare benefits such as Housing Benefit / Universal Credit, Council tax benefit and Personal Independence Payment.
• Support to gain access to specialist advice.
• Encourage customers to monitor their own health and wellbeing so they are aware of when they may need to access other services.
• Encourage customers to manage their own medication.
• Support customers to manage their mental health and gain access to mental health services as appropriate.
• Observe mental health and where appropriate contact available mental health services.
• Support customers to access education, training, employment or voluntary employment.
• Support customers to maintain positive family and social relationships.
• Support customers to make use of community resources.
• Support customers to make meaningful use of their leisure time so they do not feel isolated or lonely.
• Support customers to develop daily living skills.
• Support customers to set up their home including advice on arranging connection of utilities and obtaining suitable furniture.
• Support customers to maintain safety and security of their home.

Customer groups

For people to be eligible to receive the Service they must be:

• Aged 18 and above with a mental health primary support need;
• Eligible for care services under the Care Act, 2014 or section 117 of the Mental Health Act, 1983;
• Ordinarily resident in the London Borough of Hillingdon; and
• Either subject to the Care Programme Approach or likely to be subject to it.

Referrals

The Floating Support Service accept referrals from Adult Social Care and the Hillingdon Community Mental Health Teams.

Once a referral is received, we will arrange with the person referred and the referring agency to be present at an initial assessment meeting.

The purpose of the meeting will be to provide them with information of support provided and to discuss whether the floating support service will suit their support needs.

Following from the decision made based on the assessment we will either start them in support or decline the referral.

Facilities

Support is delivered in a variety of settings, including customers accommodation, community settings and, where relevant, in the customer’s workplace.

The Out of Hours Telephone Support Service

The Out of Hours Telephone Support Service supports current customers and those who have previously received support from our Hillingdon Floating Support service, who may be in crisis or at a risk of crisis.

The Out of Hours Telephone Support Service operates between the hours of Monday to Friday 17:00pm to 08:00am and 24 hours on Saturdays , Sundays, public and bank holidays.

The contact phone number is 0808 196 2148