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NHS Borders Community Adult Mental Health Service:

Who we are:

The Borders Adult Community Mental Health Service (BACMHS) offer specialist mental health care, through non-emergency care pathway.

Our service includes assessment and treatment of patients in the community, between the ages 18 to 69, with suspected or known mental illness or disorder.

If you are aged 18 or under then your GP can refer you to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

If you are aged 70 or over then your GP can refer you to Mental Health for Older Adults

Our aim is to make sure that, if you have an acute or enduring mental health problem you are assessed, supported and treated in the right way, to support optimal recovery.

This can include but is not limited to:

Provide advice and support to primary care and other professionals about how to manage your care.
Provide structured and evidence based clinical interventions based on your current needs. This can include work with one professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or Community Mental Health Nurse (CMHN) or may include work from multiple professions.
Introduce you to other services and organisations, such as third sector/charities in line with your needs.
Provide assessment and treatment, if you are experiencing a newly emerging mental illness or disorder.
Provide assessment and treatment if you have more complex and enduring needs.
Commence, recommend and monitor psychiatric medication.
Offer specialist Perinatal Mental Health advise with our Community Perinatal Mental Health Team.
Contact with the BACMHS may be in person at BGH, a health centre, community hospital or your home; through telephone consultation, or Near Me (NHS video conference call).

Our Locality Teams:

West – Galashiels, Peebles, Innerleithen, Stow, Lauder, West Linton
East – Chirnside, Coldstream, Duns, Earlston, Eyemouth, Greenlaw, Kelso, Melrose, Newtown St Boswells
South – Selkirk, Hawick, Newcastleton and Jedburgh

Borders Map

The Service consists of:

The BACMHS Locality Teams are made up of a multidisciplinary team, who work together to provide the right care for you.

They include:

Administration staff
Consultant Psychiatrists and Specialty Doctors
Resident Doctors
Team Managers
Community Mental Health Nurses (CMHN)
Specialist Psychological Nurse Therapist
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Community Health Care Support Workers (HCSW)
Peer Support Workers
Social Workers
Occupational Therapists or other allied health professionals such as Physiotherapists
Clinical Psychologists
Mental Health Pharmacist

Those who may benefit from BACMHS input:

Individuals who are felt to have a moderate or severe mental illness.
Individuals who have had a number of contacts with primary care mental health services (such as Renew) which have not improved their difficulties.
Individuals who require specialist assessment and evidence based mental health interventions.
Individuals whose needs are not felt to be adequately met in a primary setting (such as GP or Renew).
Individuals who require multi-disciplinary care and treatment.
Individuals in the above categories who have disorders requiring skilled or intensive treatments provided within secondary care.

What are unable to support with the following;-

Assess or treat individuals with a suspicion of ADHD or Autism without mental health co-morbidity or severe functional impairment.
Provide support with housing, benefits or finances.

How to access:

You cannot self-refer, however you can be referred through your GP.

Other services you may have worked with or had contact with, may also refer you, such as Renew, A&E, Social Work, Borders Crisis Team, Liaison Psychiatry, Midwife or Health Visitor.

If you currently receive support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), your care may be transferred to adult services when you turn 18.

If you have been referred to our service, but have not yet been seen, please contact your GP should anything change.

Additionally, we are aware there is a current shortage of supply for ADHD medication. We are working with the national guidance to limit the impact this has on your care, and so may be given different brands to usual or a combination of doses to meet your prescribed amount. Please note this is out with our control.

Updated November 2024 – reviewed annually

Other supports available that you can access yourself

Breathing Space – 0800 83 85 87

Samaritans – 116 123

Shout – Text SHOUT to 85258

Local Support:

NHS24/111 - OOH
Health in mind - Health in Mind | Groups and Workshops in the Scottish Borders (health-in-mind.org.uk)
Café Recharge - Galashiels
Perinatal mental health in the borders- Nurture the borders - Home | Nurture the Borders
Together All - (requires you to make a free account with a Scottish Borders Postcode) · https://togetherall.com/en-gb/
Centre for Mental Health · https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/
NHS Borders Wellbeing Point · https://www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/wellbeingpoint

Local Area Coordinator

phone: 01896 664155

email: lac@scotborders.gov.uk

Ways to be well - nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/creating-hope/ways-to-be-well/
Creating Hope - nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/creating-hope/help-yourself-and-others/

What Matters Hubs:

Kelso – Topiary Café, Mayfield Garden Centre, third Wednesday of the month, 10am–12.30pm
Galashiels – Asda Café, Currie Road, fourth Wednesday of the month, 10am–12.30pm
Hawick – Heart of Hawick, Tower Mill, second Thursday of the month, 10am–12.30pm (starting Thursday 8 August)
Peebles – Costa Coffee, High Street, second Wednesday of the month, 10am–12.30pm (starting Wednesday 14 August)

Additionally, we would like to highlight some additional services which could be useful in supporting you in the community:

Autism and ADHD supports