Improving Patient Wellbeing

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is an NHS programme rolling out services across England offering interventions approved by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for treating people with depression and anxiety disorders.

Leicestershire County and Rutland Service

How to refer

You may be eligible for help if you are aged 16 or over and registered with a GP practice in Leicestershire County or Rutland. You can contact your GP who may arrange a referral to Let’s Talk-Wellbeing, alternatively you can self-refer by one of the options below:

Please note that if you are suffering with ongoing suicidal feelings and attempts, self-harm or a major mental health conditions, a psychiatric referral must be sought instead via your GP. Also, where there is substance/alcohol abuse or problems with violence, other support services should be accessed. Anyone currently receiving psychiatric care must continue with their care programme and is unable to access this programme.

• Follow the link and complete the online referral form
• Call us on 0115 8760157
• Download and print the self referral form for the Leicestershire and Rutland Let’s Talk-Wellbeing Service and post to:

Let’s Talk–Wellbeing
Bank Court, Weldon Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 5RF

What will happen once I have been referred?

Once we receive your referral we will contact you with information about your first appointment.

The first appointment is generally completed on the phone, and your Let’s Talk-Wellbeing therapist will work with you to understand what the problem is and to agree the next steps. Together, you and your therapist will plan a programme of support and self-help activities that match your individual need.

Accessible Information Standard (AIS)

Summary

All organisations that provide NHS or adult social care must follow the Accessible Information Standard by law.

The Accessible Information Standard aims to make sure that disabled people have access to information that they can understand and any communication support they might need.

The standard tells organisations how to make information accessible to the following people:

• Patients
• Service users
• Their carer’s and parents.

This includes making sure that people get information in different formats if they need it, such as:

• Large print
• Braille
• Easy read
• Via email

The Accessible Information Standard also tells organisations how to support people’s communication needs, for example by offering support from a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, deafblind manual interpreter or an advocate.

What does the Accessible Information Standard tell organisations to do?

As part of the Accessible Information Standard, organisations that provide NHS or adult social care must do five things, they must:

• Ask people if they have any information or communication needs, and find out how to meet their needs.
• Record those needs in a set way.
• Highlight a person’s file, so it is clear that they have information or communication needs, and clearly explain how those needs should be met.
• Share information about a person’s needs with other NHS and adult social care providers, when thy have consent or permission to do so.
• Make sure that people get information in an accessible way and communication support if they need it.

Who must follow the Accessible Information Standard?

All organisations that provide NHS or adult social care must follow the standard.  This includes NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts, and GP practices.  Organisations that pay for  and make decisions about NHS and adult social care services must also support the standard.

Why must organisations follow the standard?

Organisations must follow the standard by law.  This is explained in Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.  Most information on the Accessible Information Standard can be found on the NHS England website www.england.nhs.uk/accessibleinfo

Charities including Action or Hearing Loss, CHANGE, Sense, and the Royal National Institute of Blind people (RNIB) will also be providing information.  The ‘Information Standards Notice’ which tells organisations how and why they must follow the standard, can be accessed via the Health and Social Care Information Centre website at http://content.digital.nhs.uk/isce/publication

For mist information, please contact NHS England via email at england.nhs.participation@nhs.net or call 0113 825 3002.

You can also write to:

Accessible Information Standard,
NHS England, 7E56,
Quarry House, Quarry Hill,
Leeds, LS2 7UE.