Personality Disorder Hub Service Information leaflet for service users Shining a light on the future
Introduction This leaflet provides information about the Personality Disorder Hub service. What is a Personality Disorder? You are said to have a personality disorder if the way you think, feel and behave cause distress or difficulties for you or others and this happens over and over again (for many years). The Personality Disorder service is for people who experience persistent, problematic and inescapable difficulties which impact on the following areas: Work Making or keeping relationships Suicidal thoughts and self-harm Controlling emotions and behaviours Keeping out of trouble Housing difficulties Also you might find that instead of problems happening occasionally, you have had difficulties for a long time, probably right back to childhood. What is a Personality Disorder Hub service? The Personality Disorder Hub service will provide assessment and treatment for individuals who: May have a personality disorder May pose a high risk of self-harm or suicide The team is made up of specialist staff who are highly skilled and experienced in working with people who have a personality disorder. They come from a variety of backgrounds and include: Consultant Clinical Psychologists Clinical Community Manager Senior Psychological Therapist Psychological Therapist Assistant Psychologist Peer Support Workers Administration Support Staff Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner Consultant Psychiatrist We also provide training, supervision and consultation to staff in other teams who are working with people with a personality disorder. We do this in order to help them support the needs of their service users; this is sometimes referred to as scaffolding. Who is it for? The service is for adults who are over the age of 18 years who require specialist assessment and treatment for personality issues and risk to self. 2
Who can refer me? We take referrals from Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT). If you are not involved with a CMHT at the moment your GP may be able to refer you to one. The CMHT can then assess your needs to see if we are the right service for you. What happens after I have been referred? Firstly, we need to find out about the things that have been difficult for you. We would do this by meeting with you regularly, asking you about your life history, taking into account your beliefs, feelings and behaviours that have been problematic. This process can take a number of weeks. We will also look at your strengths and the things that have helped you cope in life. At the end of the assessment if we find that personality traits are contributing to your difficulties we will talk to you about ways of addressing these. Treating and managing personality disorders Treatment and Care Pathways Our staff are experienced and trained in at least one evidence based therapy. The following are specific treatment models offered by the team: Structured Clinical Management (SCM) Structured Clinical Management is an evidence based approach to working with people with personality disorder who may also be experiencing other mental health difficulties (e.g. Obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression). Structured Clinical Management helps people: Understand why they may have developed a personality disorder and what maintains the associated difficulties. Problem solve their difficulties. Cope and manage a crisis. Develop skills to better manage emotions/impulses/interpersonal interactions and selfharm/suicidality. Use medication and services appropriately. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) DBT is a cognitive behavioural treatment originally developed to help chronically suicidal individuals who were diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (also known as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder). Treatment involves one to one weekly therapy and group work to learn skills to manage distress, emotions and relationships. Mindfulness practice is a key feature of DBT. Dialectical behaviour therapy is also recognised as being an effective treatment for other disorders, such as substance dependence, depression, eating disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder. Research has shown that DBT can help to reduce: suicide attempts non-suicidal self-injury hopelessness anger substance dependence impulsiveness. 3
Mentalisation Based Therapy (MBT) Mentalisation Based Therapy (MBT) focuses on developing a person s ability to recognise what is going on in their own mind and what might be going on in other peoples minds. We call this Mentalising. Mentalising is sometimes described as thinking and feeling about thinking and feeling and/or understanding ourselves from the outside and others from the inside. MBT also involves one to one weekly therapy and group work. It can play an important role in enabling you to regulate your emotions and impulses, and in developing fulfilling, meaningful relationships. Peer Support Workers The Personality Disorder Hub employs Peer Support Workers (PSWs) who facilitate and support the involvement of service users by sharing hope and optimism as experts by experience (ie people who have also experienced difficulties and have recovered from those difficulties). PSWs work with clinicians in facilitating therapeutic groups and supporting patients with time-limited, focused pieces of work that help facilitate engagement and aid progress. Where are we based? We are based at Benfield House, Specialist Psychological Services at Walkergate Park Hospital in Newcastle, however many of our clinicians operate from the local community treatment teams around the Trust. Interpreters Staff can arrange an interpreter if you need one. What if I have a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint about the service? If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can: talk to the people directly involved in your care ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.ntw.nhs.uk (click on the Contact Us tab) telephone the Complaints Department Tel: 0191 245 6672 we are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. - Points of You - available on wards or from staff. Some areas of the Trust have electronic feedback touch screens, staff can help you to use these. - Friends and Family Test - available from staff or online at www.ntw.nhs.uk/fft 4
Useful contacts Mind 15-19 Broadway, Stratford, London E15 4BQ Infoline: 0300 123 3393 Website: www.mind.org.uk Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales and has extensive information on personality and personality disorder. National Personality Disorder Website Website: www.personalitydisorder.org.uk This provides information, resources and learning opportunities for those with a personality disorder and their carers. Emergence Website: www.emergenceplus.org.uk A website for those affected by personality disorder, provides support, advice and education. Samaritans Tel: 116 123 Website: www.samaritans.org PO Box 9090, Stirling, FK8 2SA Provides confidential support for anyone in a crisis. Rethink Helpline: 0300 5000 927 Website: www.rethink.org 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP Provides information and a helpline for anyone affected by mental health problems. Has information on personality and personality disorder. Royal College of Psychiatrists Personality Disorders, Help is at Hand www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/problems/personalitydisorders/personalitydisorder.aspx Also available from the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 223 2545 References A full list of references is available on request from the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 223 2545 5
Contact information Personality Disorder Hub Team Benfield House Walkergate Park Benfield Road Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 4PF Tel: 0191 287 6156 Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 223 2545 Published by the Patient Information Centre 2016 Copyright, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Ref, PIC/768/0416 April 2016 V1 www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic Tel: 0191 223 2545 Review date 2019 Follow us @ntwnhs www.facebook.com/ntwnhs 6