Unclear roles and pathways for community mental-health services
First to latest report 12 Sep 2013 — 8 Aug 2025
Reports that mention this concern
8
Times this concern has been raised
9
Stated actions linked to this concern
10
What this concern includes
Includes failures within community mental-health services and their referring or receiving teams to define, communicate and maintain a shared understanding of service scope, limitations, referral routes and appropriate use, including understanding what Home Treatment Teams and other community services can provide on discharge.
What is not included
Excludes generic staff-training or communication deficiencies where community mental-health service roles or pathways are not the material unsafe condition.
Excludes failures of community mental-health service capacity, appointment access, treatment quality or discharge execution when staff understanding of service roles and pathways is not itself deficient.
Excludes referral failures caused solely by missing information, staffing shortages or patient disengagement where the scope and pathway requirements were clearly understood.
Excludes non-mental-health community services and generic multi-agency coordination concerns without a specific community mental-health service-role or pathway component.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Department of Health and Social Care3
NHS England2
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board2
College of Policing1
Devon Local Medical Committee1
Durham Constabulary1
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust1
Killick Street Health Centre1
Livewell Southwest1
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust1
North London NHS Foundation Trust1
Priory Group1
Ministerial department3
NHS trust3
Executive non-departmental public body2
Integrated care board2
Community interest company1
Healthcare site1
Health professional body1
Independent healthcare provider1
National policing body1
Police force1
Reports and published responses 8 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Failure of crisis text services to use Greater Manchester mental health pathways for early referral
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Department of Health and Social Care
NHS England
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Implement a phased, locally delivered crisis-text service integrated with the Greater Manchester 111 mental-health crisis line.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
NHS England
The non-NHS charity’s service delivery and clinical governance arrangements fall outside the respondent’s ability to comment on.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Department of Health and Social Care
Independent charitable organisations providing crisis text services are outside Government and NHS control.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
County Durham and Darlington
Concerns raised1
Failure to account for mental health crisis team inability to enter locked premises when directing callers to mental health services
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
College of Policing
Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
College of Policing
Monitor and work with partners on powers of entry so agencies understand legal parameters and available options.
College of Policing
Collate concerns raised, review them against the toolkit and guidance, and amend the toolkit where necessary.
College of Policing
Continue reviewing toolkit content and provide forces with tools, training and support to implement and deliver Right Care, Right Person.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham
A review found no significant failings in the use or implementation of the Right Care Right Person policy.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
College of Policing
Operational decisions and responses under Right Care, Right Person are the responsibility of individual police forces, including Durham Constabulary.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
College of Policing
Police cannot enter a person’s home for a welfare check where assessed risk does not reach the threshold of risk to life and limb.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Lack of understanding of NHS community discharge services
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Priory Group
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Raise the case during quality assurance visits to providers, highlighting NHS referral access for privately funded patients and robust discharge planning.
Priory Group
Share guidance with consultant psychiatrists explaining the importance and professional requirement of maintaining current knowledge of local NHS community mental health services.
Priory Group
Create local NHS mental health services directories at all hospitals and update and disseminate them through induction and annual professional communications.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Lack of understanding of local mental health care pathways by coordinating teams
This report raised 7 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon
Concerns raised1
Unclear mental health care pathways for professionals after discharge
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Inner North London
Concerns raised2
Lack of shared understanding between referrers and crisis teams about crisis team capabilities and limitations
Lack of specific training and education for general practitioners about crisis team services and limitations
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Killick Street Health Centre
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Killick Street Health Centre
Meet with Crisis Team managers to discuss service provision.
Killick Street Health Centre
Establish regular meetings between practice GPs and the Crisis Team to discuss service provision and individual clients.
Worcestershire
Concerns raised1
Failure to define and communicate mental health teams' roles and responsibilities for onward care
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Norfolk
Concerns raised1
Lack of shared understanding of team referral roles and interfaces
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Base a Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment team member within the Access and Assessment Team to support prompt joint working and care transitions.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.