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NICE consults on improving transition from mental health settings to community

Draft guideline recommends creation of recovery plan for person being discharged 

People being discharged from inpatient mental health settings should be given a recovery plan that provides information on support networks and crisis management, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The institute is consulting on a draft guideline to support people with mental health problems in England when they transition between services.

The guideline recommends that a designated person works with the individual being discharged to create a recovery plan that covers social support networks, relapse signs and where to go in a crisis.

NICE says the plan should be sent to everyone involved in providing support to the person being discharged. The institute adds that the needs and wishes of the patient should be recorded and reviewed at each stage of transition planning.

The guideline also advises that people with serious mental health problems who are homeless or at risk of becoming so should receive ‘intensive, structured support to find and keep accommodation’. 

NICE deputy chief executive Gillian Leng said: ‘More than 1,000 people with mental health problems commit suicide every year in England, sometimes just weeks after being discharged from hospital.

‘We can help reduce this number by better communication, and more joint working, between hospital and community mental health teams.’

The consultation closes on April 27.

Read the guideline here