A mental health trust provides health and social care services for people with mental health disorders in England.
There are 60 mental health trusts. They are commissioned and funded by clinical commissioning groups.
Patients usually access the services of mental health trusts through their GP (primary care medical doctor) or via a stay in hospital. Most of the services are for people who live in the region, although there may be specialist services for the whole of the UK or services that accept national referrals. Mental Health Trusts may or may not provide inpatient psychiatric hospital services themselves (they may form part of a general hospital run by an NHS Hospital Trust). The various trusts work together and with local authorities and voluntary organisations to provide care.
Services provided by Mental health trusts vary but typically include: Counselling sessions - one-to-one or in a group
Courses - such as on how to deal with stress, anger, and bereavement. Courses may also be available for carers of those with mental health disorders
Resources - such as leaflets and books on mental health issues
Psychotherapy - treatment sessions with a therapist. Commonly cognitive behavioural therapy
Family support - providing support to the family, friends, and carers of those with a mental health problem.
Community drug and alcohol clinics - helping people to cope with addiction
Community mental health houses - supported housing to help people live in the community
Day hospitals and day centres - short-term outpatient sessions with a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist or other mental health professional, and drop-in centres for peer support and therapeutic activities.
If more specialist hospital treatment is required, Mental Health Trusts will help with rehabilitation back into the community (social inclusion). Trusts may operate community mental health teams, which may include Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment, assertive outreach and early intervention services.
The Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Health Act 2007 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 cover the rights, assessment and treatment of people diagnosed with a mental disorder who are judged as requiring to be detained ("sectioned") or treated against their will. A Mental Health Trust will typically have a Mental Health Act team responsible for ensuring that the Act is administered correctly, including to protect the rights of inpatients, or of service users in the community who may now be under Community treatment orders. The Care Quality Commission is the body with overall national responsibility for inspecting and regulating the operation of the mental health act by the regional trusts.
These are the mental health trusts in the NHS in England (note that many have NHS Foundation Trust status - a type of trust that has more independence from government):
2gether NHS Foundation Trust
5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Bradford District Care Trust
Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Isle of Wight NHS Trust
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust
Mersey Care NHS Trust
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
North East London NHS Foundation Trust
North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Sheffield Health & Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
West London Mental Health NHS Trust
Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
