The Assertive Outreach Team for Kensington and Chelsea is a multi-disciplinary team which aims to assertively and intensively follow up clients with long-term severe and enduring mental illnesses who might otherwise “fall through the net” of community care.
These are clients who typically have a history of disengagement from services, repeated hospital admissions and often have dual diagnosis, drug and alcohol misuse and mental illness. We aim to work with people in their homes or communities as far as possible, offering the full spectrum of interventions from very practical help such as medication monitoring, employment and other social issues. The key concept is “engagement” to help clients to improve the quality of their lives.
As with other mental health services we operate within the CPA framework. The care co-ordinators within the team work with ten to twelve clients each in order to maximize their capacity to respond to clients’ needs quickly and efficiently, and make repeated attempts to see clients when this is necessary. We work closely with clients’ carers and families as well as other organisations and professionals within Kensington and Chelsea. In addition to the one-to-one work we do with clients, the team runs a monthly luncheon club, has a supply of new clothing and runs a carers’ group, all of which are based at Chelsea Chambers.
Referrals are accepted from the CMHTs in Kensington and Chelsea
PALS Link Worker:
Julie Crawley Tel: 020 8846 6025
Samantha Martin Tel: 020 8846 6026
Hazel Grundy Tel: 020 8237 5149
Janet Micallef Tel: 020 8846 6055