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Mental health - older adults

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The Older Adults Mental Health (OAMH) services provide the mental health response for older adults with complex needs arising from dementia, psychosis and more complex or enduring depression and anxiety disorders.

Important: Contacts

Older Adults Mental Health services in each district:

Badenoch and Strathspey

  • phone 01479 813400

Caithness

  • phone 01955 606915 - Wick
  • phone 01847 891224 - Thurso

Easter Ross, Mid Ross and the Black Isle

  • phone 01349 853636

Inpatient services

  • phone 01463 704000 (Raigmore switchboard)

Inverness

  • phone 01463 883744

Lochaber

  • phone 01397 709830

Nairn

  • phone 01667 422786

Sutherland

  • phone 01408 664 085

Wester Ross, Skye and Lochalsh

  • phone 01478 614216 - Skye and Lochalsh
  • phone 01854 633263 - Wester Ross

About the services

Access to these services is primarily via GP referral - covering the Highland HSCP area only.

NHS Highland follows criteria developed by The Faculty of the Psychiatry of Old Age at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2015).

We see:

  • people of any age with a primary dementia
  • people with a mental health problem who are over the age of 65
  • people whose mental health problems are affected by frailty or the aging process (this could include people under 65)

Older Adults Mental Health services diagnose dementia, support the most complex presentations and offer specialist advice to care homes.

In collaboration with Alzheimer Scotland we also provide a one year post-diagnosis service to help people newly diagnosed with dementia.

Services offered

Community mental health services provided by specialist teams across the Highland HSCP area.

Specialist dementia inpatient unit situated at New Craigs Hospital in Inverness.

An older adults acute ward situated at New Craigs Hospital.

Alzheimer Scotland

Alzheimer Scotland provides services and support across Scotland to help anyone who is worried about their memory, has a diagnosis of dementia, or who is supporting someone with dementia.

Find support near you on the Alzheimer Scotland website.

Related mental health pages

Important: Highland Mental Wellbeing website

The Highland Mental Wellbeing website is a list of both local and national services, information and training around the subject of mental health and wellbeing. It can be confusing to know where to start with online information, so it aims to help by highlighting some of the best websites and sources of help. It also provides information about training and resources for community/service volunteers or paid staff, in a 'helping' or supporting role.

Important: Mental health information at NHS inform

NHS Inform Logo

NHS inform provides a wealth of information on identifying, treating and managing mental health problems and disorders.

Mental health at NHS inform

Last updated: 2 September 2024

Next review date: 28 February 2025