A pioneering way of supporting people who use secure mental health services back into the community is to be launched in Sheffield in April 2020.

The new Specialist Community Forensic Team, based at Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (SHSC), will provide forensic service users with care in their community instead of in secure hospitals. This means that more service users will be treated close to home and at the same time allow more capacity for inpatient services.

Sheffield Health and Social Care have announced they are recruiting for 18 permanent positions at all levels from early career support workers to senior practitioners. They are also looking for a Consultant Psychiatrist. Recruitment is taking place right now and all positions are listed on the NHS Jobs website. 

The pilot will be led by SHSC and, if it’s successful, the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System (ICS) will support its roll out across the region.

This is part of a national pilot led by NHS England and NHS Improvement to test a co-produced model for supporting people who use secure services in the community.

Clive Clarke, Interim Chief Executive at SHSC said: “The evidence for this pilot is clear. Service users, their families and clinicians tell us that in the majority of cases the opportunity to re-engage with community and social networks as soon as safely possible improves recovery times and maximises quality of life. We are very excited about the potential benefits the new team will bring to service users, our own services, and the Sheffield community.”

Professor Des Breen, Medical Director of the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw ICS added: “The addition of a Specialist Community Forensic Team in Sheffield will add a new facet to mental health and social care services in the city. If successful, the lessons we learn from the pilot will be integral to rolling out similar services across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw.”