Service overview
We are the Community Rehabilitation Enhanced Support Team, also know as CREST. Our service is part of the Berkshire Rehabilitation and Review Service (BRRS).
We can help you if you're living with severe mental health difficulties, such as psychosis.
This might include seeing or hearing things that other people cannot see or hear (hallucinations), or believing things which are not true (delusions).
Our goal is to get to know you, so that we can create your personal care goals together.
We focus on your strengths and what matters most to you, such as following your interests, building new skills and confidence, or improving relationships.
We hope to build your confidence and discover what independence looks like for you, so that you can live in your community with the right support.
Accessing our service
We can help if you're over the age of 18, registered with a GP in Berkshire, and experiencing psychosis.
You must already be in the care of one of our Berkshire Healthcare teams.
Your care professional can refer you to us, and if they think you might need help from CREST.
If we think CREST is right for you, we'll arrange to meet with you for an assessment to find out what you would like help with.
We'll do this by either calling you or asking your care professional to arrange this.
Unfortunately, we can't accept self-referrals.
Preparing for an assessment
When you're referred to CREST, we'll arrange an assessment with you to get to know you, and understand the type of support you need.
We'll arrange a visit at your home, or another suitable place of your choice. We’ll talk with you about what life is like, your goals and challenges, and how CREST may be able to support you with.
We might also ask you about any symptoms you're having, such hearing voices that other people do not hear, and how this affects your daily life.
The assessment will typically last 60-90 minutes.
You can also bring a friend, family member, or carer to the appointment if this would be helpful for you. You’re also welcome to let us know of any other support you would like during the assessment, such as written or visual information.
We may guide you to another service if we feel it can help you.
Support available from CREST
We are a team of multidisciplinary experts, working together to provide the right care for you, such as:
- Occupational Therapists, who can help you get back into activities and hobbies that matter the most to you, to build your confidence and feel connected to yourself
- Pharmacists, who can offer medication support and education
- Rehabilitation workers, who can help you reach your goals, and encourage you to keep a positive outlook throughout your recovery journey
- Lived Experienced Practitioners, who can share practical tips based on their own experiences of living with mental health challenges
- Psychiatrists, who can diagnose and treat mental health conditions
- Psychology Team, including Systemic Family and Art Therapists
Your care plan
We can work with you and your usual care team to create your care plan.
This might include:
- helping you connect with your local community and making a support network
- offering psychological support, such as building your confidence and tackling worries
- helping you access physical health care and understanding your medication
- exploring your interests and hobbies
- providing sensory based strategies to help your body find balance and manage your emotions
- improving your independence so that you can do things like cooking, using public transport, managing self-care, or managing your home
Sometimes people with psychosis have additional needs, including physical health conditions, neurodiversity, and learning disabilities.
We’ll talk with you about additional support needs and how this can impact your experience of psychosis.
Managing your health
Your e-Health Passport
Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.
Learn moreContact us and FAQs
Community Rehabilitation Enhanced Support Team (CREST)
CREST is based across the county of Berkshire. CREST is not an urgent care or emergency service, and staff members are available Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Email: BRRSCREST@berkshire.nhs.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
What is psychosis?
Psychosis is a when you might see or hear things that others do not, believe things that other people do not believe, or have a confused thinking and speaking pattern.
Psychosis can be a symptom of serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder.
Psychosis can be a common experience, and it affects people in different ways.
It might happen once, or every so often. It may be a frightening experience that can affect your behaviour, where you no longer trust others and want to stay at home because it feels safe.
There is help available if you need it.
Is psychosis a mental health diagnosis?
Psychosis is not a diagnosis by itself, but is a set of unusual experiences that might be part of various mental health conditions, which have a big impact on your life.
Psychosis is usually a symptom of other mental health diagnoses, such as:
- Schizoaffective disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Postpartum psychosis
- Severe depression
Psychosis can be a recurring or constant experience, which can affect your daily life in different ways.
What is rehabilitation?
Pyschosis can make some daily activities more difficult, such as spending time with friends or family, or enjoying the things you used to.
Rehabiliation is about finding the support you need if your symptoms are affecting your ability to live your.
Rehabilitation focuses on your strengths, skills and interests, and how to better manage thoughts or emotions, so you can start doing the things that matter most to you again.
What is a multidisciplinary team or MDT?
Multidisciplinary teams are made up of different professionals.
Here are some of the professionals working in CREST and what they can help with:
- Occupational Therapists (OTs) can help with getting back into activities which support your overall mental health and wellbeing. This could be the activities that matter the most to you, such as hobbies, or self-care. They do this by finding ways to make these activities more achievable by using your current strengths and adapting the activity or environment. The act of purposefully “doing” something meaningful yourself can help to develop a greater sense of purpose, more confidence, provide an important role and feeling more connected to who you are.
- Rehabilitation Workers are guided by OTs and MDT. They support you in reaching your goals, offer emotional support and encouragement to help you to overcome obstacles and work towards maintaining a positive outlook throughout your recovery journey.
- Pharmacists offer medication support and education, and monitor side effects and physical health changes to enhance treatment outcomes.
- Lived Experience Practitioners are people with a background in living with mental health challenges. They can connect with you as peers to give you a safe space to discuss your symptoms and experiences. They can also use their lived experience to give you practical tips to support you in your own personal recovery journey.
- The psychology team is made up of psychologists and therapists who can work with you individually, with your carer(s), or in a group setting to help you better understand your mental health. They can help you find coping strategies to tackle barriers and maintain your wellbeing.
- Psychiatrists are medically qualified doctors who diagnose and treat mental health conditions. They will typically work with your usual doctor(s) to make sure you're getting the best possible care.
What is BRRS?
Berkshire Rehabilitation and Review Services (BRRS) are a group of services which act as a first step for all applications made to the Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).
BRRS includes services like CREST, the Placements Review Teams, and Long-Term Inpatient Rehabilitation.
Referrals to BRRS services can be made from within our Trust, or externally via ICBs and Local Authorities.
We can also help you with
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member, carer, or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- Telephone interpreting
- Video remote interpreting (VRI)
- Face‑to‑face interpreting
- Written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to get information in a format that meets their needs.
The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers. This means making sure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand our information and communicate with us easily.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Large print
- Braille
- Audio
- Easy read
- Text message
- Face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
What does it mean to treat our team with respect?
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This may include contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
How do I find my NHS number?
The easiest way to find your NHS number is using the official NHS online service which can be accessed below.
You may also want to read our guidance page for more information about other ways to find your NHS number or what to do if you cannot find yours.
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