Refer a patient with depression to specialist mental health services for coordinated multidisciplinary care if: their depression significantly impairs personal and social functioning, they have not benefitted from previous treatments, and they have multiple complicating problems or significant coexisting mental and physical health conditions NICE CKS.
Consider referring people to an NHS triage service for triage and allocation to an appropriate level of service NICE CKS.
Refer children and young people with moderate or severe depression, signs of recurrence, unexplained self-neglect, active suicidal ideas or plans, or if referral is requested by the young person or their family/carers NICE CKS.
For adults with more severe depression or chronic depressive symptoms that impair personal and social functioning, refer to specialist mental health services for multidisciplinary care NICE NG222.