A ground-breaking service to help older people with mental health conditions is ‘making a huge difference’ to services at Nevill Hall Hospital.

RAID (Rapid Assessment, Interface and Discharge) is a specialised multi-disciplinary mental health team working in hospitals in the local area.

The team provides psychiatric assessment, advice and support to patients aged 65 and over with mental health problems.

Patients are identified quickly, and the team is able to spend more time with the patient giving a personal approach and a familiar face to interact throughout their stay.

RAID aims to help patients leave hospital more quickly and ensures they continue to be supported by the correct health and social services once the patient has been discharged home.

The RAID team is made up of healthcare professionals including nurses, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, social workers and assistant psychologists.

Dr Katherine Barnes, Consultant Geriatrician at Nevill Hall Hospital said, “RAID has made a huge difference both in our ability to discharge patients safely and the quality of care received by patients living with dementia.

“There are certainly discharges happening that would otherwise have been admissions to the ward because of the RAID service. This means we are able to identify any issues early in a person’s journey and make any time they spend in hospital more productive.”

Judith Paget, Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said, “Older people with mental health conditions can be particularly confused and disorientated in a hospital setting.

“The support the RAID team can offer to such patients is significantly improving their experiences in our hospitals and ensuring patients, families and carers are given the appropriate support both in hospital and back at home.”