Befriender and Psychological Interventions Project – Luton
East London NHS Foundation Trust
(Issue Date 14/09/2021)
Project name: Befriender and Psychological Interventions Project – Luton
Project reference no.: LBP001
Funding available: Up to £100,000 for 12 months
Eligibility: Voluntary, community, social enterprise sector organisation or grassroot group
Funding Application Return deadline: 10/10/2021
We are seeking applications for a Befriender and Psychological Interventions Project in Luton. Funding of up to £100,000 is available to deliver the project over 12 months and should provide a minimum of two posts including a therapist (to deliver up to 6 sessions per individual) and a befriender role (1 whole time).
Mental health services across England are undergoing a major transformation as promoted by the government’s Long Term Plan for the NHS. The Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults describes how the Long Term Plan’s vision for a place-based community mental health model can be realised. It describes a need to align primary and secondary care mental health offers and target resources on closing gaps in access, outcome and experience for those who experience serious mental illness (SMI).
A gap in services has been identified, whereby individuals who are ready to be stepped down from Crisis Treatment (CRHT) do not meet the high need and intensive support threshold of secondary care health services (CMHT) and are considered too risky for IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapy) provision. They are, by default, referred to their GP. There is also a gap in culturally competent psychological intervention for the BAME community; in between primary and secondary care health services.
Some service users have been disproportionately affected by Covid 19 in increased childcare needs, domestic violence, loss of income and change of roles. There is also limited provision for managing the psychological needs of those who suffered from childhood sexual abuse and other trauma such as racism, exclusion and bullying.
The aim of the project is to focus on a step down service, providing brief interventions – up to 6 sessions per individual – following the end of CRHT or CMHT interventions, alongside a culturally competent befriending provision via a special interest worker from one of the marginalised groups.
The project should be led by a voluntary, community, social enterprise sector or grassroot group. The successful agency (or agencies who may want to combine to deliver the project) will need to demonstrate that they not only have the appetite but also the ability to deliver psychological interventions to our adult SMI population, including managing recent risk, having no upper age limit or gender divide and able to provide a befriender who represents the target community.