Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) Service

Overview

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

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

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

AMHPs may be qualified social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, or psychologists who have gained an additional 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 Lancashire's AMHPs are social workers, though some are nurses.

The majority of Lancashire's AMHPs are employed directly by Lancashire County Council, though some are employed by Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT). LSCFT-employed AMHPs act on behalf of Lancashire County Council when undertaking the AMHP role.

Lancashire County Council is immensely proud of its AMHP service, which won a High Sheriff of Lancashire Covid-19 Award in 2020, for continuing to provide an outstanding service to the people of Lancashire throughout the adversity of the Covid Pandemic.