In an emergency

If your relative’s mental health deteriorates rapidly, you may need to get help and support urgently.

Your relative’s care co-ordinator (also called a keyworker) should tell you what to do and who to contact in an emergency. You should find out who to contact during office hours, and what to do at other times.

It’s a good idea to keep relevant phone numbers in your mobile phone or by your landline in case you need them quickly. It’s important to know the numbers of your relative’s care co-ordinator, your relative’s GP and your local social services Emergency Duty Team (you can find this by searching on the authority’s website).

In an emergency, during office hours:

• contact your care co-ordinator or do as they have advised you
• or contact your relative’s GP
• or contact you relative’s psychiatrist, if you have a good relationship with them.

Outside office hours:

• you can phone your local social services Emergency Duty Team
• or take your relative to an accident and emergency department where you can see a duty psychiatrist
• or call the police. If you are seriously worried about your relative’s safety, or about your safety, ring 999. Some carers say this is the most reliable way to get help late at night. The police are allowed to bring someone who may be a danger to themselves or to others to a place of safety under the Mental Health Act.

If your relative denies that he or she is unwell, refuses to get help, and is judged a danger to themselves or others, they may need to be compulsorily admitted to hospital. The health professional you contact may arrange this, although it can take some days or even weeks to do this. Several different professionals have to be available and sometimes police back up will also have to be organised. A ‘nearest relative’ can also ask for an assessment to be carried out under the Mental Health Act.

If your relative tries to take their own life, seek medical help immediately. Take them to accident and emergency or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.