Crisis Cafes
What we did
We conducted face-to-face and telephone interviews with service users. Data from these interviews was triangulated with user experience with other data sources including staff, stakeholders and the services’ contract monitoring data.
Findings
The Journey Recovery Hub is perceived as an extremely positive and supportive service by its service users. This includes individuals experiencing a mental health crisis who are unable to access alternative services. Operating an out of hours’ service and being available without a waiting list via self-referral makes the JRH particularly useful to service users and fills an important gap in wider mental health provision.
For every £1 spent on Crisis Cafés there was £2.59 of benefit to the NHS, patients and carers.
"They’re amazing, really quick response, non-judgemental, better than any therapist I have ever seen… found it very valuable having advice from a normal person [who] clearly has valuable experience [and[ has encouraged me and given me hope to try and help other people when I have recovered as would love to give back. It is a lifeline for certain people."
- Crisis Cafe Service User
Recommendations:
- Increase awareness of the service with external service providers and to ensure that they are able to refer patients to the JRH.
- Improve the physical environment in the Surbiton building to ensure that the space is as calm and inviting as the Twickenham venue.
- Develop a better way of communicating with and engaging service users in developing and monitoring the quality of the service.
Impact
By reviewing this service, we ensured that services users’ experiences were at the heart of the commissioning process. The service was recommissioned for 2 years and our work will inform the model for Crisis Cafés across South West London.
“The report was very helpful in enabling us to demonstrate the usefulness of the Crisis Café and it has been awarded a 2-year contract to continue. It helped to focus on the cost to the NHS if this service is not available and highlights that local people can access a crisis service for support without having to be referred – which is a key selling point. The plan is for the rest of the boroughs to review their crisis café and have a SWL approach to the model.”
- Senior Transformation Manager Mental Health, NHS South West London
