Managing Urgent Mental Health Needs in the Acute Trust: A guide by practitioners, for managers

This report was prepared by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, working in partnership with representatives from the Royal College of Physicians of London, the Royal College of Nursing and the College of Emergency Medicine. The current provision of mental health services to people attending the Emergency Department of General hospitals or those admitted to medical and surgical wards are extremely variable across the country. There is an urgent need to develop national standards that inform the commissioning of services, thereby guaranteeing that people in need receive prompt assessment and management by appropriately trained professionals.

(Published August 2008, 24 pages)