Sharing your information without consent
There are circumstances where we have to pass
on information about you without your consent,
for example:
•to prevent risk to yourself or others
•investigation or prevention of serious crime
•formal court order.
However, the guiding principle is that your
information is held in strict confidence.
More information about this is available in the
leaflet ‘Confidentiality and your care record’.
Accessing your First Step records
It is considered good practice for your Practitioner
to discuss your treatment with you, and, where
appropriate, allow you to see what they have
written about you. This is called informal access,
and there will be no forms to fill in.
If your Practitioner considers that giving you access
to what is written about you might cause you serious
distress or harm, or could identify a third party, then
they have the authority to decline your request.
If this happens, you can apply for formal access.
Requesting formal access to your
First Step records
Ask your Practitioner for an access to records
form and the leaflet ‘Can I see my health record?’,
which explains more about formal access. Before
submitting your formal application for access to
your First Step record, you are strongly advised to
discuss your plans with your Practitioner. You might
find that a discussion provides you with information
in a more useful way than seeing your record.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about First Step or
for more information about your records,
please contact:
First Step
Elmwood
2a Tynefield Drive
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 8JA
Telephone: 0300 123 9122
More information about the service can
also be found on our website:
www.cumbriapartnership.nhs.uk
If you would like this leaflet in
another language or format,
e.g. Braille, large print or audio,
please call: 01228 603890, email:
[email protected] or write
to: Membership and Communications
Department, Carleton Clinic,
Cumwhinton Drive, Carlisle, CA1 3SX.
First Step
Who we are and what we do –
a service user information leaflet
We all feel low or worry from time to
time and usually these feelings fade
away on their own. But when they just
won’t go away or start to interfere with
your day to day life, first step can help
you get back on track.
First Step can help people with mild to moderate
depression or anxiety disorders such as panic
attacks, obsessions or problems following a
traumatic incident.
Our trained Practitioners will listen to your
experience to try and understand how you have
been feeling. Together we will decide what sort
of help might work best for you.
We may simply guide you through appropriate selfhelp or we may decide to use a talking treatment
which can often take place in your GP’s surgery.
Talking treatments (including cognitive behavioural
therapy or counselling) are designed to influence
your thoughts and behaviour and can help you cope
with any feelings of depression or anxiety. Many
people who have been through these treatments
have also found that these techniques can help
them to deal with other parts of their lives.
How we can help you
First Step helps people experiencing mild to
moderate mental health problems, including
depression and anxiety disorders. We can:
•assess your experience and how you have
been feeling
•direct you to good sources of self help information
such as computer based therapy
•refer you to other mental health services if we
feel that these would be more appropriate for
your needs
•provide talking therapies such as counselling and
cognitive behaviour therapy which are designed to
influence your thoughts and behaviour to help you
cope with feelings of depression or anxiety.
Our talking therapies will differ in type and intensity
depending on the nature of your problem. We will
usually begin with brief sessions and the length and
frequency of these sessions may increase if you and
your Practitioner feel it is needed.
How to access First Step
If you think we can help, ask your GP if they think
First Step is right for you. If they agree you will be
given our telephone number so that you can book
an appointment with one of our Practitioners.
We see people during normal working hours and
you can choose a time that is suitable for you.
Each GP practice in Cumbria has access to First Step
Practitioners and we will often see people at the
surgery itself if space allows.
We will send you a pack of brief questionnaires to
help us understand your problems and collect the
information we need.
First appointments are usually face to face and last
up to an hour. The length of future appointments
will usually be agreed by you and your Practitioner
and can either be in person or over the phone if this
is preferred or more convenient.
If you are not happy with any aspect of your
treatment, please discuss this with your Practitioner.
If you feel unable to do this, please ring First Step
on 0300 123 9122 to discuss other options.
Your First Step record
While you are being seen by First Step, your
Practitioner will keep an electronic record of your
progress and involvement with the service. This will
ensure that the Practitioner has accurate and up-todate information to assess you health needs and
decide what care you need. It is also used to provide
information if you are referred to another service.
If you have concerns about certain information
being recorded, please talk to your Practitioner.
If you feel that you are unable to do this, or you are
not happy with the outcome, you should write to
First Step at the address on the back of the leaflet.
Your information may also be used for training and
educating staff, and for research approved by the
Local Research Ethics Committee. Your information
may sometimes be used for audit purposes – this
will not include details that identify you.
Keeping your information confidential
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty
to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.
This means that only relevant information about
you is shared with people involved in your care.
This may include your GP and professionals at your
local hospital or other healthcare services.
If you would like us to, we can share information
with family and carers. It is your decision who you
share information with.