How our service can help you
The Affective Disorders Outpatient Service is a national, specialist outpatient service at Maudsley Hospital. We provide assessment, treatment and care for people aged 18 and over, who have complex or treatment-resistant mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder. Our experts are internationally recognised senior clinicians and researchers in this speciality with many years of experience.
The service welcomes referrals from general practitioners and secondary care services supported by evidence of on-going Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) involvement and agreement for this to continue were the patient to be seen in the National Affective Disorders Outpatient Department. The Service provides advice about diagnosis and treatment and may suggest treatment strategies to be implemented by the local secondary team.
Referrals must be approved by the local integrated care board.
- Service Borough Covers: National (Adult services) Treatment type: Treatment Resistant Mood Disorders
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Contact the service
Site Location: Maudsley Hospital Email: NADS@slam.nhs.uk Phone Number: 020 3228 4679 - Disabled Access: Stepless access available via ramp and lift
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Address:
c/o Carol Bell
Business Manager
Maudsley Hospital
Denmark Hill
,London, SE5 8AZ - Conditions: Anxiety, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Psychosis
Other essential information
Interventions
- Clinical assessment including structured clinical interview
- Blood tests, ECG, MRI scan - recommendations only
- Expert pharmacotherapy, including complex combinations and high dose regimens if indicated
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Plasma level monitoring for antidepressants, anti-psychotics and anticonvulsants
- Assessment for suitability for neurosurgical intervention, including deep brain stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation and ablative procedures
- Joint working, where appropriate, with the National Psychosis Unit
- Joint working with the individual’s mental health team to facilitate smooth transition back to local care
- Post treatment follow-up appointments, if indicated
Eligibility criteria
- 18 years and older
- Treatment resistant affective disorders: unipolar or bipolar disorders, including mixed mania and rapid-cycling disorder
- Affective disorders requiring specialist psychological interventions
- Healthcare professionals with affective disorders
- Depression with a seasonal pattern (seasonal affective disorder)
- Ongoing engagement and support of a local consultant and community mental health team. This criterion is of key importance to permit joint working and crisis management.
Exclusion
- Patients who are suicidal or high risk of self-harm or other vulnerabilities that render outpatient attendance inadvisable.
- Lack of engagement with local consultant and community mental health team to co-ordinate ongoing care
- Emergency or urgent patients
Outcomes
- Detailed treatment plan with recommendations for interventions to be provided locally
- Outpatient pharmacological and/or psychological intervention, if indicated
- Episode intervention and recurrence prevention
- Discharge back to secondary care team at the earliest appropriate juncture
- Less frequent need to access local mental healthcare services and reduced care costs
- Improved well-being and functional capacity
- Education for patient and carer about the nature of the illness and strategies to promote health, prevent recurrence and encourage a personally meaningful recovery
