Vulnerable mental health patients given extra support during coronavirus crisis

Staff from community mental health services, which are run by the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, are paying essential visits, making frequent telephone calls and delivering medication.

But some of the patients are still " extremely vulnerable" and having to stay completely housebound due to mental and physical health issues, says the Trust.

So far, 20 patients are being provided with food bank parcels to help them weather the crisis. CNWL staff have also brought in food from their own cupboards and are keeping thsi for emergency use.

Physical health nurse Denise Miles said: “We’ve identified the most at risk and the most vulnerable and we are offering to shop once a week for those who are self-isolating because of their risk factors and we are also supporting them with food bank parcels from the Milton Keynes Food Bank.

She added: "However, this list will change daily as patients are reviewed to include those who are self isolating due to experiencing Covid 19 symptoms."

.Staff have also been registering many more patients who have severe and enduring mental health conditions on the Government website for extra support with food.

The patients are being looked after by three CNWL services – the Assessment Outreach Team, the Recovery and Rehabilitation Team and the Early Intervention Team.

Clinics are still open for depot injections. Patients who attend the weekly Clozapine clinic are being invited to attend smaller clinics running during the week to support social distancing.

But some patients are extremely vulnerable, these are housebound during the Coronavirus pandemic due to their underlying being provided with food bank parcels to help them weather t.

Denise said: “"Most of our patients are quite housebound and are quite anxious and we’ve put together a letter for all our clients providing them with the government advice and guidance on social distancing and handwashing and what to do in the event of symptoms, giving reassurance the service is running and confirming contact numbers.

“We are keeping everyone calm and reassured and advising them not to be worried if they see our staff in PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) as this is as much for their safety as for ours.”