Richard Whelan

Dear Sir Regulation 28 Response – Richard Whelan We write in response to the Regulation 28 report following the inquest touching the death of Mr Richard Whelan. We would like to start this response by offering Mr Whelan’s family our sincere condolences for their loss. We hope the information supplied in this response provides assurance that the Trust has carefully considered your concern, as noted below. Evidence at the inquest indicated that any referral to SPA classed as non-urgent may take up to 14 days to triage reflecting the SPA Standard Operating Procedure. The referrals to SPA could come from anyone, not necessarily someone with experience of mental health conditions. It was only following a triage of a referral and the outcome of the triage would a plan be devised to take forward a referral. The Trust has clear standards in place to ensure timely and appropriate access to care for all service users. The Trust’s current process is that all referrals are screened by a registered Single point of Access (SPA) practitioner within 48 hours. This process considers the content of the referral, including any risk information provided, together with relevant information available on the Trust's clinical systems or elsewhere in order to determine the appropriate level of urgency and care pathway. For those referrals identified as urgent through the screening process, assessment takes place within 24 hours. For those referrals identified as routine, assessment takes place within 14 days. The universal screening process therefore ensures that individuals receive care aligned with the severity and immediacy of their mental health presentation. The Trust accepts referrals from a wide range of agencies and professionals and also from individuals, their families and carers. In respect of referrals received from referrers with limited understanding of mental health conditions, the Trust is developing referral guidance to support referrers in recognising risk factors and understanding when immediate telephone contact with SPA is required. In addition, the referral form is being amended to include guidance that, where there are positive responses to risk

[Page 2] questions, the referrer is clearly directed to contact SPA immediately to discuss the referral with a mental health professional. I do hope the above information is of assistance and answers the concerns raised within your Regulation 28 report following the sad death of Mr Richard Whelan.