These pages provide information relating to the national Mental Health Care Clusters and Trust Care Pathways.
The Department of Health requires that all users of adult and older adult mental health services must be allocated to a Care Cluster by their Mental Health Service provider. The purpose of this is to ensure that people are offered the right care and interventions using evidence based practice which is personalised to meet individual needs. Care provided will be in partnership with Service Users and where applicable Carers, focusing on support to move towards or regain their wellbeing and recovery.
Care Clusters form part of Core Care Standards and Principles relating to:
- Assessment
- Care planning
- Care Reviews - including measuring progress and outcomes.
- Care Co-ordination
- Discharge & transfer
- Families and carers
- Involvement and choice
- Risk
If you are a user or the carer of someone who uses the Trust’s mental health services, further information about Care Clusters and Care Pathways relating to your care is available from the member of staff providing the clinical care.
There are 21 Care Clusters that cover a wide range of medical diagnoses and needs. Although Care Clusters are not based on diagnosis, a persons’ “likely diagnosis” will assist in identifying the most appropriate Care Cluster, it will also consider the likely course of the illness, how it impacts on daily living, and the risks for the individual and others.
The Care Clusters are broadly categorised into:
- Emotional difficulties e.g. depression, anxiety
- Psychosis e.g. bi-polar, schizophrenia
- Memory difficulties e.g. Alzheimer’s
