The CAT service is for patients whom you consider to be in a crisis, are medically stable enough to be managed in the community and for whom a hospital admission would not be most appropriate.  

The CAT service is focussed on multi-agency support, provided within 2 hours for patients with an imminent risk of admission.  In order to access this service, please contact:

The Crisis Action Team (CAT) was started as a six-month pilot and it has been agreed the service will now continue for a further year for 2016/17.

 This 24/7 multi-agency (health, social and voluntary care) team aim to reduce avoidable emergency admissions by supporting adults experiencing a crisis situation to remain in their own homes and/or enable rapid discharge from A&E to prevent an admission.  Patients must be seen by a health professional within the previous 24 hours prior to a referral to the CAT team. 

How do I make a referral?

Via the Care Co-ordination Centre on 0300 123 2425 and request the Crisis Action Team

A 92 year old lady who lives with her two elderly sisters. They support each other and have no formal care package in place. GP referral after she developed a UTI and significantly reduced mobility leaving her unable to care for herself or be supported by her sisters. The CAT team assessed and felt the patient’s cottage was not the most appropriate place to support reablement as both the patient and her sister, who was waiting for a hip replacement, would need to sleep down stairs. A step-up bed was not available until the following day. CAT team supplied pressure relieving equipment and were able to rearrange the home and sleeping arrangements to support the patient and her sisters overnight. She went to Alice Grange Care Home the next day supported by the British Red Cross who also took her for a home assessment during her stay.   She was discharged home after 14 days reablement.