CREST is a community-based service which helps people to live with more independence outside complex rehabilitation inpatient services.
 
The service works to bring people back to West Yorkshire when they have been sent out of area to be in hospital. Support workers meet with people wherever they are, around 6 months before their expected date of discharge. This means support workers can develop a strong relationship with someone before they are discharged.
 
Our focus follows the things we learned in a set of coproduction sessions. In these sessions, we learned that people have often been placed in out of area wards, a long way from home, and been ‘stuck’ inside wards for a long time. People told us that they want to live more meaningful, independent lives, as well as living closer to their families, friends and communities. We support people to do this in ways that feel right for them.
 
CREST can work with people for up to 5 years. In this time, we work with people to empower them to remain well and meet the rehabilitation goals that they feel are important for them.

Get in Touch

Call us: 0113 855 6486

Email us: crest.wyics@nhs.net

Please note: we can only accept referrals from healthcare professionals. We only work with people from West Yorkshire who want to return to West Yorkshire.

The Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT)

CREST is a partnership between Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) and Touchstone. Whilst most staff are employed by NHS, the Peer Recovery Support Workers (PRSWs) are employed by Touchstone. This partnership broadens the depth of knowledge, skills, and experience within the team.

CREST has a vast Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), including:

  • Psychiatrists
  • Specialist Doctors
  • Psychologists
  • Social Workers
  • Nurses
  • Peer Recovery Support Workers

A full MDT at CREST, in addition to these roles, will also contain:

  • Occupational Therapists
  • Specialist addiction workers
  • Family support

Peer Recovery Support Workers (PRSWs)

The team of PRSWs all come with their own experience of mental health difficulties, including personal experience and experience of caring for someone with mental health challenges.

Service Users have told us that by being able to talk to a staff member who is open about their experience, they feel more hopeful for the future and know that there is somebody who will understand that they can share their thoughts with. Due to this, the relationship between a PRSW and a service user can feel different, bridging the gap between “staff” and “patient”.

One of the team, Max, created this short video describing the role of the PRSWs within CREST.

Working with a Peer Recovery Support Worker

The PRSW team will work with you to achieve your goals. These might be:

  • Learning to use public transport
  • Starting to do college courses
  • Learning to do household activities, such as cooking
  • Accessing the local shops
  • Attending appointments
  • Joining social groups
  • Volunteering
  • Employment

They will also meet up with you to chat, or to go to a local café, if this is something that you will find helpful.

They will feed back to your Care Coordinator so that CREST can work with you to define and achieve your goals, and stay well.

Referrals

Referrals to CREST are made through your team on the rehabilitation ward. CREST work with people from West Yorkshire who want to return to West Yorkshire.