MAST is a Multi-Agency-Support-Team providing support at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale General Hospital, and in the community on discharge.

The team is made up of peer support and support workers who provide specialist and non-clinical support in the hospital setting, around Mental Health, Alcohol, Frailty and Social Prescribing. We work in partnership with other local charities to deliver the MAST service, meaning we reach greater areas of need and offer specialist support to those who need support with their mental health, are at risk of substance misuse, experience frailty, and/or have complex social needs.

• The Cellar Trust – Mental health support
• Project 6 – Alcohol support
• Carers’ Resource– Frailty support
• HALE & Keighley Healthy Living – Specialist social prescribing

The MAST team provides specialist and specific support to individuals who are frequently attending Emergency Departments, or referred to our service after discharge.

Working in partnership, each organisation focuses on a different specialist area providing support to frequent attenders, enabling and supporting timely discharge and reducing risk, and reducing admissions via health messaging.

Supporting individuals both in hospital and, following discharge, in the community to help remove the barriers that people face to ongoing treatment.

The team works collaborative at A&E with other organisations such as PLN, OT, homeless, CAMHS, social care.

MAST’s 6 month report (2021) shows the impact of their work. View here.

Hospital Support

• Brief interventions, signposting and referring to other services
• Present in A&E and relevant adult wards
• Successful collaborative working with other teams at hospital
• Focus on frequent attenders

Community support

• Follow up call within 24 hours after discharge
• Holistic support in the community (e.g. combined mental health and alcohol)
• Multiple referrals to appropriate long-term support
• Focus on avoiding readmission

In 2021- 2022, over 85% of patients reported they had not attended A&E again with their original issue.

By reducing the number of individuals frequently attending these Emergency Departments the team help lessen the demand around the identified pressure points in the health system.