Councillors spend morning shadowing Approved Mental Health Professionals

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed, Councillor Billy Sheerin, Julie Urmson

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed and Councillor Billy Sheerin spent a morning with Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) to see first-hand their vital work supporting some of the borough’s most vulnerable people.

The adult services cabinet members shadowed the AMHP service based at the community mental health team, Sudden Resource Centre, Rochdale where a team of 20 mental health professionals provide a 24 hours a day, seven days a week, service for people across the borough. 

The councillors witnessed the varied and complex role of AMHPs, who are qualified and registered social workers approved to act on behalf of the council, to respond to patients’ needs and make decisions under the Mental Health Act.

A typical day for a Rochdale AMHP includes screening, co-ordinating and arranging assessments, undertaking interviews and liaising with a number of key partner agencies across health, housing, employment and the emergency services.

Alongside health colleagues, AHMPs are responsible for assessing and interviewing patients. They may make an application for detention, if they are satisfied that the statutory criteria for admission is met, and if detention in hospital is the most appropriate way of providing the care and medical treatment the patient needs.

AMHPs also play a crucial role about when to make an intervention, to ensure the necessary help and support is provided to people with a mental health condition. In addition, they have a vital duty to focus on prevention, when making decisions in relation to care and treatment, to help reduce demand for more intensive services in the borough.

Julie Urmson, social care manager and AMHP professional lead for adult services, said: “The role of an AMHP is interesting, varied and challenging. We have a superb team of dedicated staff, who are working with some of the most vulnerable people in the borough.

"It was inspiring to see councillors come along and see how the service functions, what our AMHPs do, and how the nature of their busy role is constantly evolving.”

Councillor Ahmed said: “It was an engaging and interesting morning. I got a real insight into the complex nature of the job and how a dedicated team of staff works round the clock to deliver a mental health service in Rochdale to be proud of.

"I would like to thank staff for all the work they do to reduce health inequalities across the borough.”