Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) Service

The AMHP service is responsible for undertaking assessments under the Mental Health Act (1983) (MHA) in Cheshire East, and in some cases outside the Cheshire East area.

The AMHP service responds to referrals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Cheshire East's AMHP service operates a hub and spoke model with a dedicated AMHP team supported by other AMHPs based in community teams across Cheshire East who undertake the AMHP role on a rota basis.

The Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) role is one of the most important and senior professional roles in mental health services.

AMHPs may be qualified social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, or psychologists who have gained a specialist qualification which allows them to undertake the AMHP role. AMHPs are able to make an application under a section of the Mental Health Act to detain a person in hospital for a period of assessment or treatment. Most of Cheshire East's AMHPs are social workers, though some are nurses.

Next When a MHA assessment is required