Forensic community services encompass a number of different teams who provide specialist mental health support for service users leaving secure care and have been discharged from secure care via our Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) Team. Through our Criminal Justice Liaison and Diversion Teams, we also provide assessment for people who are experiencing mental health issues or other vulnerabilities and have come into contact with the Criminal Justice system.
They support the transition of care for service users moving out of secure settings. The teams engage with the service users and those involved with their care, before, during, and after their move from inpatient services to the community. They continue to provide specialist mental health support on discharge, for as long as the person needs it.
The teams include:
- Consultant forensic psychiatrists
- Clinical psychologists
- Forensic community psychiatric nurses
- Forensic social workers
- Occupational therapists
- Peer support workers
- Recovery workers
- Vocational workers.
The forensic outreach service and specialist community forensic teams work with service users to equip them for and support them with daily independent living. They work with housing providers and hostels, developing support plans which mitigate risk and support people with effective ongoing therapy - both group and individual – as they move to and live in a community setting.
Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT)
The SCFT operates across eight London boroughs and is structured into three hub teams to enhance efficiency and locality-based support:
- Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Hounslow - EHH Hub
- Brent, Harrow, and Hillingdon - BHH Hub
- Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster - KCW Hub.
SCFT supports the safe transition of high-risk, mentally disordered offenders from secure inpatient services into the community. The team also provides advice and consultation to community mental health teams, acute wards, and psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) managing complex forensic cases.
As part of our in-reach model, a representative from each hub attends ward rounds on all low and medium secure rehabilitation and pre-discharge wards in West London Forensic Services (WLFS). SCFT also works with patients who originate from the eight boroughs across North West London but who are currently in secure hospitals out of the area.
SCFT engages with service users while they are in hospital to support with discharge planning and continue to provide specialist mental health support after discharge.
SCFT is a diverse, multidisciplinary team comprising:
- Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Forensic Community Psychiatric Nurses
- Forensic Social Workers
- Occupational Therapists (OTs)
- Peer Support Workers
- Recovery and Vocational Workers
- Carers Lead
- Drug and Alcohol Specialists
- Family and Art Therapists
- Pharmacists.
The service is provided to service users who are eligible for secondary mental health services, who have an identifiable mental disorder and where there is a significant risk of physical harm to others related to the mental disorder. Significant risk means that the risk is real and relatively imminent and that it cannot be safely managed without the intervention of a specialist community forensic service. All accepted referrals will be based on a comprehensive risk assessment and consideration of how the potential risk identified can be managed safely in the community.
The SCFT team starts working with inpatients at least six months before discharge to facilitate a discharge care pathway; however, much of the work is with service users already in the community who may require assertive and intensive work to maintain their progress in the community. SCFT works in collaboration with local authorities to help with sourcing placements and liaising with hostel providers. The team also liaises regularly with partner agencies, for example, probation, multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA), Ministry of Justice (MoJ),
SCFT also works collaboratively with carers, offering one-to-one support as well as groups, advice and information.
Operating hours
We're open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and have an out-of-hours on-call service available for crisis support related to SCFT outpatients.
Specialist Community Forensic teams contact details
South West House
St. Bernard’s Hospital
Uxbridge Road
Southall
UB1 3EU
Tel: 0208 354 8670/ 0208 354 8503
Email: wlm-tr.scfthubs@nhs.net
Referral forms should be completed and returned via email to wlm-tr.scfthubs@nhs.net.
The Forensic Assessment and Support Team for Intellectual Disabilities (FAST-ID) is a specialist community service for people with a learning disability and or autism who also have a forensic history. This might mean they have previously been to court, spent time in prison or a secure hospital, or been supported under criminal justice orders. We support people as they move into the community or continue living in community settings, helping them stay safe, settled and supported in the right way for their needs.
Our team works closely with the Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) and is based at St Bernard’s Hospital in Southall. The service covers the boroughs of Brent, Hillingdon, Harrow, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster.
What we do
Our service provides high-quality mental health care for people with a learning disability or autism who are currently, or have previously been, in secure care, while also helping to keep the public safe.
We bring together a wide range of professionals, including nurses, doctors, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, substance misuse workers, speech and language therapists, pharmacists and art therapists. This mix of skills helps us meet each person’s mental health, social care, communication and risk‑related needs.
We work closely with local agencies and recovery teams to ensure support is joined‑up and consistent, while also providing consultancy, advice, and therapies to local learning disability (LD) services to help them empower people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to stay in their community placements.
FASTID supports people with a learning disability to move safely from secure care back into the community through in-reach work.
Our approach
We use a person‑centred and strength‐based approach. We balance therapeutic support with clear risk management to keep placements stable, reduce admissions, and support positive long‑term outcomes.
How we support people and providers
Supporting someone with a forensic background can be complex. We work alongside providers to offer specialist training, clinical input, ongoing risk assessment, support with legal conditions, communication and behaviour support advice, crisis planning, and liaison with wider services.
We aim to help staff feel confident and well‑supported, and to help individuals live safely in the community.
Assessment and crisis support
Our assessments focus on potential risks, how to manage them, and early warning signs.
The team operates Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm. Staff work flexibly and can respond to urgent situations when needed. Care plans will also include information about what support is available outside these hours, along with the right contact details, in line with the Trust’s Care Plan Approach (CPA) policy.
FAST‑ID and SCFT also run an out-of-hours Senior Community Forensic On‑Call Service. This is to support community forensic outpatients when the main teams are closed. You can access this support through the Single Point of Access (SPA) or the Trust’s Contact Centre by calling 01344 754600.
The court diversion team at Westminster Magistrates' Court was the first service of its kind in the UK and was originally set up in 1989 at Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court as a Home Office pilot. It has been staffed and managed by West London NHS Trust ever since.
Defendants in custody are screened on a daily basis by the resident court liaison nurse. A psychiatrist is available twice a week to enable acutely mentally ill defendants to be diverted to hospital.
We welcome visitors and are also to be happy to come and talk about the service to other teams.
This service has been expanded in partnership with CNWL and Together for Mental Wellbeing.
For further information, please contact the team on 020 3126 3225 or 020 3126 3226.
It has been recognised for some time that people with a mental health problem don’t always get the support they need when they’re brought into a police station.
A team of 6 mental health nurses covers police custody suites in Hammersmith, Chiswick, Acton and Hounslow.
For further information or to discuss a referral, please contact team administration on 020 8483 2340.
This service ensures that the specialist needs of children and young people in custody or youth justice setting are met promptly. We also ensure that they have priority access to the systemwide specialist services they need.
Conducting mental health assessment and care planning for children and young people in these settings can be complicated. Issues relating to consent, capacity and legislation must be considered, as well as a range of clinical, safety and safeguarding risks.
Improving mental health outcomes and reducing youth offending
Our youth justice liaison and diversion (YJLD) workers are based in Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow and Ealing youth offending services. A specialist youth justice worker supports the YJLD in Ealing.
An initial assessment is only one element of this national service. Improving mental health outcomes and reducing offending is another key element. The YJLD workers also work in police stations and courts to ensure the young person is supported through the youth justice system.