This service is managed by Health and Community Care
Mental health services
Mental Health Services is a community-based team based at Vaenta in Kirkwall, providing support across Orkney for adults and older people dealing with mental health difficulties, substance misuse or memory problems.
The service includes the Community Mental Health Team, the Orkney Drugs and Alcohol Team, the Community Learning Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder Nursing Service, and an All Age Nurse Led Psychiatric Liaison Team.
Anyone can refer into the service. Each referral is reviewed and passed to the worker best placed to help, or signposted to another service if that would better meet the person's needs. The team mainly supports people with complex, acute or long-term mental health needs, and works closely with other services including Psychological Therapies, Orkney Blide Trust, Age Scotland Orkney and Relationships Scotland Orkney.
We help people identify their own strengths and the support already available to them. Staff work in partnership with the person using the service, and with their family or loved ones where appropriate. Treatment is based on good evidence and may include social care, medical treatment, psychological therapy and practical support. Confidentiality is central to everything we do.
Substance misuse
The team runs a substance misuse service staffed by community mental health nurses and support workers. Information on referring someone for residential rehabilitation is available in the downloads below.
Mental Health Officers
Mental Health Officers (MHOs) are specialist social workers with additional training in mental health law in Scotland. Orkney Health and Care has a small team of MHOs who work alongside their main roles and take part in a round-the-clock on-call system.
MHOs carry out assessments - usually at a doctor's request - to consider whether someone needs to be detained in hospital, always looking at alternatives to detention first. They also help safeguard the welfare, finances and property of people who lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions, under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.
MHOs cannot be contacted directly by members of the public. They are contacted by a GP, hospital doctor or police surgeon when needed.
Out of hours
For urgent mental health support outside office hours, contact:
Balfour Hospital switchboard
Contact
Service Manager - Mental Health Services
Downloads and related strategies
Related resources
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Adp strategy 2021 2026
This document contains the Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Strategy for 2021-2026. It explains the local and national context for alcohol and drug use, including the effects of poverty, trauma, stigma, rural living and COVID-19 on people and services. It sets out plans to prevent harmful use, improve access to person-centred recovery support, help children and families, reduce drug-related deaths and divert vulnerable people from the justice system.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Mental health strategy
This document contains Orkney’s Mental Health Strategy for 2020–2025, setting out a plan to improve mental health and wellbeing for people of all ages. It describes current services and community support, and sets priorities including prevention and early help, recovery, support for children and young people, suicide prevention, reducing stigma, and better help for carers. It also explains how services will work together, respond to COVID-19, use local resources, and measure progress.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Orkney dementia strategy summary 2020 2025
This document contains a summary of the Orkney Dementia Strategy 2020–25, which sets out how people with dementia and unpaid carers will be supported. Created with local people and organisations, it focuses on better diagnosis, ongoing support, respite care, support at home and dementia-friendly communities. It includes nine commitments for people with dementia and carers, with progress monitored through an action plan, a steering group and independent evaluation.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Dementia strategy final draft 2020 2025
This document contains the Orkney Dementia Strategy for 2020 to 2025, setting out a shared plan for improving support for people with dementia and unpaid carers. It reflects local feedback and the challenges of Orkney’s ageing, remote and rural communities. Priorities include earlier diagnosis, ongoing support after diagnosis, flexible respite, helping people stay at home, reducing hospital and off-island care, staff training, rights-based services and dementia-friendly communities. Progress will be measured through agreed outcomes and regular evaluation.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Orkney dementia strategy consultation report 2020 25
This document contains collated feedback on the draft Orkney Dementia Strategy and responses to each comment. It covers views on support for people with dementia and carers, funding, staffing, training, rural services, communication and the impact of Covid-19. It records changes made to the strategy, suggestions noted for future work and comments that were acknowledged without changes.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
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Universal Referral Pathway for Residential Rehabilitation Treatment for Alcohol and Drugs
This document contains Orkney’s referral pathway for residential rehabilitation for alcohol and drug use. It explains how specialist assessment identifies health and social needs, risks, treatment suitability and funding, followed by an agreed care plan and application to a rehabilitation programme. It also sets out options for people who need stabilisation and detoxification, and describes preparation, admission, reviews, aftercare planning and links to local recovery support.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.