Functional Intensive Response and Support Team (First)

What is the FIRST team?
The FIRST team provide intensive mental health support for older adults. We can provide interventions in your home instead of a hospital admission, with your agreement and if it is safe to do so. If you are to be admitted to hospital, the FIRST team will work closely with you, the hospital team and other agencies to plan your discharge and continue your treatment at home.
We accept referrals from health professionals who will have carried out an assessment of your needs and risks. We work alongside services you may already be getting support from.

What does the service offer?
We will assess, treat and support you in your own home. Within the first three days, we will visit you and carry out the following:
• An assessment of your mental health needs
• A plan of care including your needs and how you can be supported at home. You and your mental health practitioner agree this
• A physical health screening
• Consent to share form

A carers assessment referral will also be offered.

Initially, you will be visited daily by a mental health practitioner. They will provide on-going support and strategies to help you to cope with the reasons contributing to you becoming unwell.
This will be reviewed twice a week and the frequency of visits can be increased or reduced, according to your needs and risks at the time.

We will be involved in your care for a limited time, on average between two to six weeks. This can be increased or decreased, dependent on the pace of your recovery.
Following treatment, we will transfer you to another service to continue the care and treatment if necessary.

What do we do?
Under the FIRST team you will have a medical review, and your treatment plan will be regularly monitored and reviewed.
Other support and interventions we can provide are:
• Assessment and support with social and physical healthcare needs
• Practical help and support
• Anxiety management
• Carers Assessments
• Psychological services
• Relapse management including signposting to relevant agencies
• Family support/interventions

If you provide consent, we will also work closely with other professionals who are involved in your care. This includes your GP, district nurses or other physical health nurses, social care etc.

What area do we cover?
We cover Maldon, Braintree and Chelmsford.

Contact: 01245 515304
8am-8pm, 7 days a week
Out of hours: Crisis Response Service 111 option 2