NICE Guidelines on Recognising and Managing Borderline Personality Disorder – 1.5 Organisation and planning of services

The following guidance is based on the best available evidence. The full NICE guidelines give details of the methods and evidence used to develop the guidance. People have the right to be involved in discussions and make informed decisions about their care, as described in your care.

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1.5.1 The role of specialist personality disorder services within trusts

1.5.1.1

Mental health trusts should develop multidisciplinary specialist teams and/or services for people with personality disorders. These teams should have specific expertise in the diagnosis and management of borderline personality disorder and should:

  • provide assessment and treatment services for people with borderline personality disorder who have particularly complex needs and/or high levels of risk
  • provide consultation and advice to primary and secondary care services
  • offer a diagnostic service when general psychiatric services are in doubt about the diagnosis and/or management of borderline personality disorder
  • develop systems of communication and protocols for information sharing among different services, including those in forensic settings, and collaborate with all relevant agencies within the local community including health, mental health and social services, the criminal justice system, CAMHS and relevant voluntary services
  • be able to provide and/or advise on social and psychological interventions, including access to peer support, and advise on the safe use of drug treatment in crises and for comorbidities and insomnia
  • work with CAMHS to develop local protocols to govern arrangements for the transition of young people from CAMHS to adult services
  • ensure that clear lines of communication between primary and secondary care are established and maintained
  • support, lead and participate in the local and national development of treatments for people with borderline personality disorder, including multi-centre research
  • oversee the implementation of this guideline
  • develop and provide training programmes on the diagnosis and management of borderline personality disorder and the implementation of this guideline (see 1.5.1.2)
  • monitor the provision of services for minority ethnic groups to ensure equality of service delivery.The size and time commitment of these teams will depend on local circumstances (for example, the size of trust, the population covered and the estimated referral rate for people with borderline personality disorder).

1.5.1.2

Specialist teams should develop and provide training programmes that cover the diagnosis and management of borderline personality disorder and the implementation of this guideline for general mental health, social care, forensic and primary care providers and other professionals who have contact with people with borderline personality disorder.

The programmes should also address problems around stigma and discrimination as these apply to people with borderline personality disorder.

1.5.1.3

Specialist personality disorder services should involve people with personality disorders and families or carers in planning service developments, and in developing information about services.

With appropriate training and support, people with personality disorders may also provide services, such as training for professionals, education for service users and families or carers, and facilitating peer support groups.

© NICE (2009) Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management
Clinical guideline [CG78]. Available from https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg78. All rights reserved. Subject to Notice of rights. NICE guidance is prepared for the National Health Service in England. All NICE guidelines are subject to regular review and may be updated or withdrawn. NICE accepts no responsibility for the use of its content in this product/publication.