How does the West Suffolk CBT Service provide its service

 

The service operates from Angel Corner, 8 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. This is a dedicated outpatient tertiary care clinic, with a range of facilities for clients including three fully equipped therapy rooms, disabled access, and disabled facilities. Please see www.westsuffolkcbt.com for images and an overview of the accommodation.

 

Once agreement has been reached in principle for the West Suffolk CBT Service to offer a service, we will write to referrers detailing a) how to make a referral and b) which types of referrals will be acceptable. Referrers will write to the West Suffolk CBT Service with details of service users presenting conditions. When each referral is received, it will be screened for suitability for acceptance by the West Suffolk CBT Service Clinical Director, Dr Nicola Ridgeway. When the referral is accepted, it will be discussed at a weekly referral meeting, and allocated to the most suitable clinician. Once allocated to an individual clinician the West Suffolk CBT Service administration team will write to the service user to offer an appointment at a specified time and date. A full information pack about how the service operates, as well as the terms and conditions of the West Suffolk CBT Service will be supplied in writing at this time.

 

Each client will be offered an initial assessment which on average lasts 60 to 90 minutes. This assessment will include a full mental health assessment and a range of self-report questionnaires and/or psychometric assessments as deemed appropriate by each individual clinician. At the end of each assessment clinicians will respond in writing to the referrer offering an overview of presenting problems and suggesting recommendations for treatment. Once funding has been agreed for treatment, service users will be contacted by the West Suffolk CBT Service administration team and offered a range of time slots for treatment. Progress of treatment will be reviewed on a regular basis and written updates will be supplied to each service users’ General Practitioner and purchasing organisation.