Personality Disorder Community Service and the Relational, Emotional Difficulties Service (REDS)

How our service can help you

We are single team, offering two separate pathways. Both pathways help people manage emotional dysregulation, to control unhelpful coping behaviours and improve their ability to sustain meaningful relationships. We do this through our comprehensive treatment offer.

  • The PDCS is our secondary care, multi-disciplinary team.  We see people who meet the threshold for severe personality disorder.
  • The REDS is our new psychological treatment service for people who have a range of difficulties associated with regulating emotions and who may struggle to negotiate relationships. You can request a referral to the REDS from your GP.

Personality Disorder Community Service (PDCS)

The Personality Disorder Community Service helps people with a diagnosis of personality disorder improve their social functioning, reduce their self-destructive behaviours and achieve a greater feeling of wellbeing.

What is a personality disorder?
Personality disorders are longstanding dysfunctional ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that cause distress to the person themselves and to others. The symptoms can be very disabling and confusing, can affect many different aspects of life and make it hard for them to cope and feel content. However, it is important to remember that alongside this, there are areas of strength and ability, and that it is possible to recover aspects of functioning that seem damaged.

What do we offer?
We offer a treatment programme using interventions based on NICE guidance. It is likely to require about a year’s commitment overall. Our service provides:

  • A new 6-month engagement pathway, which includes:
    • Assessment, formulation and treatment
    • Psycho-education workshops
    • Occupational therapy group
    • Recovery coaching
    • Daily crisis support
    • Medication review and management
       
  • Onward progression to:
    • Our Mentalisation based group-therapy
    • Our REDS DBT skills groups
    • Our REDS DBT skills groups with wrap around 1:1 support


CORE Group

Core group is a multi-agency forum, led by the Personality Disorder Community Service, to support staff and systems develop a shared understanding and negotiate ways forward for service users who may use multiple service, or for whom their needs may be difficult to meet.

Relational, Emotional Difficulties Service (REDS)

The REDS is a new service for people who present with difficulties associated with strong emotions and interpersonal difficulties; it is not aimed at particular diagnoses. The service sits between primary care and secondary care. 

We offer a broad programme that offers service users a choice in the style and content of their treatment.

Following an assessment by a mental health practitioner, usually within the GP practice, all our service users are invited to attend two introductory workshops called  Is  This for Me , where we discuss the types of difficulties that we can help with, and we provide some information about how these difficulties might have arisen.  This can be helpful for people to understand a little more about ‘why’ they struggle with their emotions. 

During Is This for Me, we present service users with a choice of 2 treatment options (Service users may complete one, or both consecutively).

Peer support group programme: Led by CPSL MIND is a 12-week, structured group programme.  Each week has a different theme, often accompanied by some psycho-educational material, and with space for participants to explore their own relationship with that topic. This programme is particularly suitable for those who want an informal atmosphere, time to think about their own challenges, and who appreciate the support of their peer group who have first hand experience of their struggles.

Making Connections (DBT Skills Group): Facilitated by NHS psychological practitioners, is our psychoeducational skills-based programme, delivered in groups, drawing heavily on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy principles.  Our results from the pilot study indicate that this is an effective treatment for our clients with mild-moderate symptoms of emotional dysregulation associated with personality disorder.  This programme is particularly suitable for service users who may engage in self-harm, or low-level risky behaviours, yet have an ability to benefit from psychoeducation, the organisational skills to attend group and individual sessions over a 16-week period, the determination to try to do things differently, and the resilience to respond to feedback.  

Service users who complete the structured psychological group work programme, may go on to self-refer to our Mentalization Based Therapy programme. (Full details of how to do so will be given upon completion of Making Connections).

Please note: REDS is predominantly an online based service, although you may have the option to meet face-to-face for your 1:1 sessions.

Please click here for a meet the team video for people waiting for treatment


Self-Help, Support and Guidance

We have recently developed a Virtual Learning Environment to support our service users, and the community to understand Course QR code difficulties associated with emotional regulation and relationship difficulties. We have included many of the resources we use in treatment, so even if you do not wish to join a treatment group, you can still become better informed and begin to learn how to support yourself and others.  This is a new resource and therefore you might find that the content evolves and grows over time (so do check back).

Course: Self-Help, Support and Guidance for Relational and Emotional Needs (cpft.nhs.uk)

Families and Carers

Family Connections  is a 12-week group programme that meets for 2 hours a week, online. It provides education, skills training, and support for people who are supporting a sufferer of borderline personality disorder. This is an evidence-based programme.  Data show us that after completing the course, family members experienced decreased feelings of depression, burden, and grief, and more feelings of empowerment.

Family Connections is on offer to families and carers of service users in PDCS and REDS.  Please contact the team directly for further information.  If your loved one is not under the care of PDCS or the REDS, you can still access the programme via the authors – please see the NEABPD website:

The Family Connections Program | National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder

For further information about supporting someone with emotional difficulties or a personality disorder, please take a look at our Self-help, Support and Guidance virtual learning environment, which includes a section for Family and Carers.

Contact the service

  • Peterborough

    The Old Town Hall

    17 Bridge Street

    Peterborough

    PE1 1HF

    •  

    Cambridge

    Chesterton Medical Centre

    35 Union Lane

    Cambridge

    CB4 1PX

    •  

    T: 01733 746800

Referral Information

  • Please note, we do not accept self-referrals. If you think you need to access our service, please speak to your GP or a medical professional.

Where to park and are there parking charges?

  • Limited free parking at Chesterton Medical Centre. Peterborough clients should use the public car parks, or phone ahead for parking advice.

Is there access and support for patients and visitors with a disability?

  • Please ring the team before your appointment to discuss any requirements.

How to cancel your appointment

  • Please call 01733 746800.

Carers Information

  • A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.

    At Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, we value the often life-long support carers provide and recognise them as equal care partners. We want to offer as much guidance and reassurance as possible, to help you in your caring role. You can find general information and support for adult carers, young carers and parent carers by following this link

Personality Disorder Community Service and the Relational, Emotional Difficulties Service (REDS)

How our service can help you

We are single team, offering two separate pathways. Both pathways help people manage emotional dysregulation, to control unhelpful coping behaviours and improve their ability to sustain meaningful relationships. We do this through our comprehensive treatment offer.

  • The PDCS is our secondary care, multi-disciplinary team.  We see people who meet the threshold for severe personality disorder.
  • The REDS is our new psychological treatment service for people who have a range of difficulties associated with regulating emotions and who may struggle to negotiate relationships. You can request a referral to the REDS from your GP.

Personality Disorder Community Service (PDCS)

The Personality Disorder Community Service helps people with a diagnosis of personality disorder improve their social functioning, reduce their self-destructive behaviours and achieve a greater feeling of wellbeing.

What is a personality disorder?
Personality disorders are longstanding dysfunctional ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that cause distress to the person themselves and to others. The symptoms can be very disabling and confusing, can affect many different aspects of life and make it hard for them to cope and feel content. However, it is important to remember that alongside this, there are areas of strength and ability, and that it is possible to recover aspects of functioning that seem damaged.

What do we offer?
We offer a treatment programme using interventions based on NICE guidance. It is likely to require about a year’s commitment overall. Our service provides:

  • A new 6-month engagement pathway, which includes:
    • Assessment, formulation and treatment
    • Psycho-education workshops
    • Occupational therapy group
    • Recovery coaching
    • Daily crisis support
    • Medication review and management
       
  • Onward progression to:
    • Our Mentalisation based group-therapy
    • Our REDS DBT skills groups
    • Our REDS DBT skills groups with wrap around 1:1 support


CORE Group

Core group is a multi-agency forum, led by the Personality Disorder Community Service, to support staff and systems develop a shared understanding and negotiate ways forward for service users who may use multiple service, or for whom their needs may be difficult to meet.

Relational, Emotional Difficulties Service (REDS)

The REDS is a new service for people who present with difficulties associated with strong emotions and interpersonal difficulties; it is not aimed at particular diagnoses. The service sits between primary care and secondary care. 

We offer a broad programme that offers service users a choice in the style and content of their treatment.

Following an assessment by a mental health practitioner, usually within the GP practice, all our service users are invited to attend two introductory workshops called  Is  This for Me , where we discuss the types of difficulties that we can help with, and we provide some information about how these difficulties might have arisen.  This can be helpful for people to understand a little more about ‘why’ they struggle with their emotions. 

During Is This for Me, we present service users with a choice of 2 treatment options (Service users may complete one, or both consecutively).

Peer support group programme: Led by CPSL MIND is a 12-week, structured group programme.  Each week has a different theme, often accompanied by some psycho-educational material, and with space for participants to explore their own relationship with that topic. This programme is particularly suitable for those who want an informal atmosphere, time to think about their own challenges, and who appreciate the support of their peer group who have first hand experience of their struggles.

Making Connections (DBT Skills Group): Facilitated by NHS psychological practitioners, is our psychoeducational skills-based programme, delivered in groups, drawing heavily on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy principles.  Our results from the pilot study indicate that this is an effective treatment for our clients with mild-moderate symptoms of emotional dysregulation associated with personality disorder.  This programme is particularly suitable for service users who may engage in self-harm, or low-level risky behaviours, yet have an ability to benefit from psychoeducation, the organisational skills to attend group and individual sessions over a 16-week period, the determination to try to do things differently, and the resilience to respond to feedback.  

Service users who complete the structured psychological group work programme, may go on to self-refer to our Mentalization Based Therapy programme. (Full details of how to do so will be given upon completion of Making Connections).

Please note: REDS is predominantly an online based service, although you may have the option to meet face-to-face for your 1:1 sessions.

Please click here for a meet the team video for people waiting for treatment


Self-Help, Support and Guidance

We have recently developed a Virtual Learning Environment to support our service users, and the community to understand Course QR code difficulties associated with emotional regulation and relationship difficulties. We have included many of the resources we use in treatment, so even if you do not wish to join a treatment group, you can still become better informed and begin to learn how to support yourself and others.  This is a new resource and therefore you might find that the content evolves and grows over time (so do check back).

Course: Self-Help, Support and Guidance for Relational and Emotional Needs (cpft.nhs.uk)

Families and Carers

Family Connections  is a 12-week group programme that meets for 2 hours a week, online. It provides education, skills training, and support for people who are supporting a sufferer of borderline personality disorder. This is an evidence-based programme.  Data show us that after completing the course, family members experienced decreased feelings of depression, burden, and grief, and more feelings of empowerment.

Family Connections is on offer to families and carers of service users in PDCS and REDS.  Please contact the team directly for further information.  If your loved one is not under the care of PDCS or the REDS, you can still access the programme via the authors – please see the NEABPD website:

The Family Connections Program | National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder

For further information about supporting someone with emotional difficulties or a personality disorder, please take a look at our Self-help, Support and Guidance virtual learning environment, which includes a section for Family and Carers.

Contact the service

  • Peterborough

    The Old Town Hall

    17 Bridge Street

    Peterborough

    PE1 1HF

    •  

    Cambridge

    Chesterton Medical Centre

    35 Union Lane

    Cambridge

    CB4 1PX

    •  

    T: 01733 746800

Referral Information

  • Please note, we do not accept self-referrals. If you think you need to access our service, please speak to your GP or a medical professional.

Where to park and are there parking charges?

  • Limited free parking at Chesterton Medical Centre. Peterborough clients should use the public car parks, or phone ahead for parking advice.

Is there access and support for patients and visitors with a disability?

  • Please ring the team before your appointment to discuss any requirements.

How to cancel your appointment

  • Please call 01733 746800.

Carers Information

  • A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.

    At Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, we value the often life-long support carers provide and recognise them as equal care partners. We want to offer as much guidance and reassurance as possible, to help you in your caring role. You can find general information and support for adult carers, young carers and parent carers by following this link

As a patient

As a patient, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support. 

Patient Advice and Liaison service  Contact the Trust