Psychiatric clinical decisions unit

About the Psychiatric Clinical Decisions Unit

The PCDU is based on the Lincoln County Hospital site at the Peter Hodgkinson Centre. The unit provides a safe space for patients to have a thorough assessment of their needs. Patients work with professionals to help decide the best treatment and support for them. This could mean returning home with intensive support from professionals, or being admitted to a specialist mental health ward.

The unit is able to care for up to six adults at a time, for up to 48 hours, in a safe purpose-built environment away from A&E.  This enables the team to spend more time with patients to better assess their needs. Decisions will be made with both patients and carers present as to what would best help them through their current crisis or severe episode.

The team includes mental health nurses, psychiatrist, social workers, support workers and admin. The team provides:-

• psychological interventions
• medication review
• practical problem solving
• help, advice and liaison with other services such as housing, debt management etc to support the person in crisis.

Assessments will be undertaken whilst you are in the PCDU including:-

• understanding how you are currently feeling and why
• any risk you may pose to yourself or others
• a review of your medication
• if there are any other factors such as relationships, housing or money that you may be having a problem with.

Referral to the unit is via the LPFT Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment Team.

What will happen after my assessment?

After discussions with you and your family and carer (if you want them to be involved) a decision will be made on one of the following:

• Discharge you back home with some short term intensive support from our home treatment teams
• Admit you to a mental health hospital
• Discharge you with no further actions if your symptoms and experiences improve while at the PCDU
• Signpost you to other services which may be able to help with other factors such as debt management or housing.
• Refer you to a crisis house where you can receive some long term respite and support in a non-hospital setting.

During your time at PCDU

The team at PCDU will do everything they can to provide a thorough assessment of your needs and put in place appropriate help and support. The following behaviour will not be tolerated:

• Threatening or abusive behaviour to others
• Damage to, or theft of property
• Use of substances harmful to your mental wellbeing, for example, alcohol or illegal/legal drugs

We are a smoke free Trust so do not allow smoking on our premises. More information