Compassionate Distress Response Service (CDRS)

CDRS Staff provide a compassionate listening ear to those referred into the service, validating the person’s experience, and supporting them to develop a plan of action to help alleviate distress.

CDRS Staff will also ascertain risk and undertake suicide safety planning as needed.

A plan of support focusing on the most relevant needs of the person is discussed and follow up action established if required. This may include follow up telephone calls, face to face meetings, or outreach support for up to 4 weeks, sometimes longer depending on circumstance, and can also include onward referral and information provision.

Please consider a referral to CDRS if you answer “Yes” to all the following queries.

Is the person:

• Currently experiencing emotional distress as the primary reason for presentation AND is not an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, does not need an immediate medical or psychiatric intervention.*

• Aged 16 years or above

• Currently within the geographical area of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership

• Registered with a Glasgow City based GP Practice

• Consenting to being referred to, sharing relevant information with, and have the capacity to engage with the CDRS.**

* People who have diagnosed mental health or addiction issues, those engaged with other services, including mental health services, and those experiencing suicidal ideation can all access the service if their immediate need is for alleviation of emotional distress

** On referring to the CDRS, you will be asked if the person has consented to being referred
** In defining capacity, patients’ cognition may be severely impaired by distress but should not be severely impaired by present alcohol or drug consumption.

In hours options

Between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday CDRS only accepts referrals from GP Practices.

• Complete CDRS SCI Gateway and submit
• Phone the relevant telephone number below – provide information to CDRS Staff.
  • Primary Care service (16+) 0141 406 0901
  • Young People Service (16-25) 0141 406 0899

CDRS Hub Team will respond within 24 hrs of referral being made

Out of hours options

Between 5pm - 2am (every day) CDRS accepts referrals from first responders and GPs (working 5pm - 8pm Monday to Friday)

• Complete this referral form from GAMH and email to cdrshub@gamh.org.uk
• Phone the telephone number below – provide information to CDRS Staff.
  • Out of Hours Service: (16+) 0141 406 0900

CDRS Hub Team will respond within 1 hour of the referral being made

Re-referrals

In order to reduce the time taken to refer a patient who has previously engaged with the service, re-referrals can be made quickly and easily via SCI Gateway or telephone. This can be MDT staff or GPs with only the need to indicate the patient has consented to being contacted again by the service

Compassionate Distress Response Service 

The Primary Care Improvement Plan aims to reduce the workload of GPs by ensuring first point of contact referral to a range of services. To support this, the service is open to referrals by MDTs in general practice. Local arrangements should be put in place by GPs, using their knowledge of their practice and their staff, as to who this should include or exclude and any local decision making processes to support this.

For example a GP may agree that the Practice Nurse or Community Links Worker can refer directly but that a Receptionist should firstly check in with the GP before referring.

GAMH will create a case file for each person in line with General Data Protection Regulation (2018). Information will not routinely be provided back to the referrer except in circumstances where the service has been unable to make contact with the individual. In this case information will be provided via email to the referrer. This supports the minimum sharing of patient information as per data protection.

GAMH is contracted by Glasgow City HSCP to deliver in-hours provision for Primary Care as part of the Primary Care Improvement Plan. The contract has been renewed as of 1st April 2024 with reporting quarterly to a Contract Management Team comprising HSCP representatives. GAMH is a registered charity, regulated by the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and Scottish Care Inspectorate.

Queries about the service should be directed to;

Rena Ali, CDRS Services Manager

r.ali@gamh.org.uk
0141 552 5592

Queries about the contract to deliver the service on behalf of Primary Care should be
directed to;

Janice Mitchell, Planning and Performance GCHSCP

Janice.Mitchell3@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

GAMH is a registered charity promoting the wellbeing of people and their communities