ABSTRACT
Whilst our focus has been primarily on service users most commonly receiving care in specialist rehabilitation and forensic services, we acknowledge that they will also require periods of acute care and are increasingly to be found under the care of generic Community Mental Health Teams. There are significant challenges in providing such a detailed approach in such settings due to short lengths of stay and/or reduced staffing ratios.
Whilst there may not always be the team infrastructure to undertake larger assessments and formulations, we demonstrate through the use of clinical case material how shorter formulation methods can be adopted and completed as stand-alone procedures, drawing on our CARM model and EWS-R process.
These stand-alone formulations can promote continuity of care across service boundaries and are more likely to enable recovery if used in this way. Also, they can help to reduce repetition and over assessment of service user’s needs.
