ONE STEP FORWARD

Previously, if someone struggled to engage, or didn’t meet the criteria for a particular service; or what was offered didn’t work for them, they risked falling down the ‘gap’ between services and ‘bouncing’’ around the mental health care system.

Operational Manager for Step Forward Liverpool Rachel Smith (right) said: “The situation was distressing, not only for patients but also for staff; there seemed to be a missing element.”

Step Forward aims to develop psychological therapies and services that fit around the person, rather than the other way round.

Consultant clinical psychologist Frank Chapman (below) explains: “Therapies need to be meaningful for the person. Some people may struggle to engage with talking therapy services.

“While they need extra support, they might not meet the criteria for a particular service. Then there are some people in services who don’t need that level of support.

“Step Forward’s aspiration is to offer people a specific service that suits their needs. We want to try to intervene early to improve the outcome for these people, but also to reduce pressure on other parts of the mental health system, such as emergency care.” the right ‘fit’, the person will be navigated directly in to an alternative.”

A priority has been to develop specific initiatives to support for people from minoritised backgrounds, who are traditionally less likely to seek help. Service users’ own experiences and ideas have played a key role in Step Forward’s development.

Rachel says demand has been high and feedback positive.

Using Mersey Care’s innovative thinking, and funding from NHS England’s Transformation Programme, the team has worked with other services and organisations, including the voluntary sector, to integrate Step Forward into the wider system.

“Our goal is for people to move between services more easily” says Frank. “If one service isn’t

People have told us how different their experience has been this time. Going into therapy can be scary; the first service isn’t always the one that meets their needs. We’re trying to learn what they need and shape a service around them.”

• Find more on Step Forward at: merseycare.nhs.uk