Here you’ll find important information about how to make a referral to our specialised mental health services, which are sometimes referred to as Tier 4 services.
Note that referrals can only be made by a patient’s Tier 3 community psychiatrist or a Tier 4 inpatient psychiatrist.
Referral forms will be returned to the sender if they are incomplete or unclear. Missing information can cause delays to the referral being reviewed.
If the person you have referred has a learning disability and/or autism diagnosis, a Local Area Emergency Protocol (LAEP) or Care Education and Treatment Review (CETR) needs to be completed before the referral is finalised and an admission must be supported following this meeting.
Should you require support or have any queries regarding your referral, our Case Managers are happy to be involved in the LAEP or CETR process and attend appropriate meetings.
Making a referral
Before making a referral, your local unit or Case Manager are happy to discuss any queries you may have regarding the suitability, type of unit, process or requirements before completion of the referral form.
For all referrals, please complete the national referral form.
This should be supported by LAEP or CETR documentation if appropriate.
Completed forms are to be sent securely to the Single Point of Access (SPA): ThamesValleyT4SPA@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
For all telephone enquiries, the SPA can be contacted on 01865 902704.
Our response
The SPA team will send your referral to the Access Assessment Unit (AAU) aligned to your area. The AAU will review the urgency of the referral and make a recommendation regarding the most appropriate service.
If the referral is not suitable for Tier 4 services, the AAU will recommend suitable alternative treatment. Following assessment by the AAU, if the referral is suitable for Tier 4 and there is a suitable place, the AAU will contact the referrer directly to discuss next steps. If there is not a suitable place available or an alternative option identified, the AAU will complete part 17 and return to the SPA.
If there is a suitable place available within the Provider Collaborative, Thames Valley T4 CAMHS Single Point of Access will forward the referral on your behalf, again if the unit has a suitable place they will contact you directly.
If we are unable to find a suitable admission, this referral will be taken to the Thames Valley T4 CAMHS Clinical Activity Panel (CAP) which is held every Friday at 10:00am. Please contact the SPA on Thursday mornings if you would like to be invited to the CAP online meeting to discuss the referral. Out of area searches should not commence unless asked to do so by a member of the Provider Collaborative team. Please discuss with your Case Manager first.
