Help & support

Where to go and who to call

Are you concerned about an immediate risk of harm - either to yourself or someone else? Call 999.
Here are some of the other ways you can get help if you are experiencing a mental health crisis:

Accident & Emergency Departments (A&E)

Go to your nearest hospital with an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department. In some hospitals, this will be called the Emergency Department.
Qualified staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will be able to assess you and give you the appropriate help.

Mental Health Services

If you are already receiving support from mental health services you should have a care plan. This will include details of who you should contact in a crisis.
Can't find your care plan?

  • Is it day time? Contact your our Community Mental Health Team (CMHT)– Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Ask for your care co-ordinator or the person on duty
  • Is it outside of office hours? Contact your local Home Treatment Team or telephone information or help lines listed below.

NHS mental health services

Find local mental health services on the NHS website.
You can also get mental health advice from NHS Direct.
NHS Direct phone: 0845 46 47
NHS Direct website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

The Samaritans

Provide confidential support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. You don't have to be suicidal to call.
Phone: 08457 90 90 90 (UK) 24 hours a day, every day of the year
Smaritans email: jo@samaritans.org.
Visit your local Samaritans branch for face-to-face support
Samaritans website: www.samaritans.org.uk

Mental Health Helpline Partnership (mhhp)

An independent charity that works in partnership with the providers of mental health helplines in England in pursuit of the following main charitable Object:
"To advance health particularly mental health for the benefit of the public, in particular but not exclusively by improving the quality of services to people suffering from ill health and those caring for or treating them."
50 mhhp helplines in approximately 240 locations. They include generic national, regional and local helplines and specialist helplines.

Sane

A confidential UK national telephone helpline run by Sane, the mental health charity. Saneline offers practical information, crisis care and emotional support to anyone affected by mental health problems, including families and carers.
Saneline: 845 767 8000 -– Monday to Friday, 12 noon to 11pm. Saturday and Sunday, 12 noon to 6pm
Sane website: www.sane.org.uk

Mind

Keeps a list of some of the statutory crisis services in England that accept self-referrals. You can read the list online. Go to the website below and click first on 'Information', then on 'Factsheets'. When you see the list of factsheets, scroll down to 'Crisis services' and then click on 'List of crisis services open to self-referrals'. Services in London are listed by borough; services in the rest of England are listed by county and metropolitan area.
Mind website: www.mind.org.uk

Mind InfoLine

Offers advice and support to service users; have network of local associations in England and Wales.Details should be in local directories and libraries.
Call Mind InfoLine: 08457 660 163 (local rate) – Monday to Friday 9.15am to 5.15pm

YoungMinds

A national charity committed to improving the mental health and emotional well-being of all children and young people.
Are you a young person? Call: 0800 1111
Are you a parent? Call: 0808 802 5544
Do you need non urgent, general information? Call general enquiries: 020 7336 8445
YoungMinds website: www.youngminds.org.uk

Rethink

Works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with a goal of recovering a better quality of life. Rethink provides effective services and support and campaigns for change through greater awareness and understanding.
Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.
Rethink email: advice@rethink.org
Rethink website: www.rethink.org

Together, working for mental wellbeing

Runs a range of services including advocacy, community support, day.
Together website: www.together-uk.org

Manic Depression Fellowship - The Bipolar Organisation

A support network for people with bipolar disorders.
Bipolar Organisation phone: 020 7793 2600 weekdays 9am-5pm
Bipolar Organisation website: www.mdf.org.uk

Hearing Voices Network

Advice and a network of local groups available to people who hear voices, their carers and workers.
Hearing Voices Network Helpline: 0161 834 5768
www.hearing-voices.org

National Self Harm Network (NSHN)

NSHN was originally established to build a network of support groups for individuals who self harm and campaign for their rights. Since its founding the charity has grown and evolved. The charity now focuses on support and distraction enabling people to seek alternatives to self harm. NSHN aims to empower individuals to explore reasons for their self harm and to seek.
NSHN Helpline: 0800 622 6000 7pm – 11pm
NSHN website: www.nshn.co.uk

Beat - Beating Eating Disorders

Are you an adult? Call 0845 634 1414 – Monday to Friday, 4:00pm to 8:30pm. Saturday, 1:00pm to 4:30pm
Are you a young person? Call 0845 634 7650 – Monday to Friday, 10:30am to 8:30pm. Saturday, 1:00pm to 4:30pm
Beat website: www.b-eat.co.uk

No Panic

Offer support for people experiencing panic attacks, phobias, etc
No Panic Helpline: 0808 808 0545 – every day, 10am to 10pm
No Panic website: www.nopanic.org.uk

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

To find a therapist search the directories:

Cruse Bereavement Care

Promotes the well-being of bereaved people and enables anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. As well providing free care to all bereaved people, the charity also offers information, support and training services to those who are looking after them.
Cruse Bereavement Care website: www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/

Other Services and Sources of Support

Alcoholics Anonymous

Offer advice and support on alcohol issues
Alcoholics Anonymous Helpline: 08457 697555
Alcoholics Anonymous website: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Release

Offer advice and provide services for people using drugs and those who work with them.
Open 10am - 5.30pm weekdays.
Release phone: 020 7729 9904 or 020 7603 8654 – evenings, weekdays and holidays
Release website: www.release.org.uk

NACRO

Provides information for prisoners who have been released from prison.
NACRO Helpline: 0800 0181 259 (freephone)
NACRO email: helpline@nacro.org.uk

Alzheimer's Society

Helpline 0845 300 0336
Information about Alzheimer's Disease and dementia issues
Alzheimer's Society website: www.alzheimers.org.uk

Community Legal Advice

Free and confidential advice service paid for by Legal Aid. They can help with problems with debt, housing, employment, education and benefits and tax credits.
Community Legal Advice Helpline: 0845 345 4 345. Calls cost from 4p/min. They can call you back.
Community Legal Advice website: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk

Citizens' Advice Bureaux (CAB)

Offer advice and information on issues such as benefits, health services, housing, consumer/employment rights, etc.
CAB website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

The PALS

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) should now be available in every NHS trust in England to deal with any concerns or complaints for service users, relatives and carers.
PALS website: www.pals.nhs.uk

Complaints about the NHS

Serious concerns about NHS care can be directed to:

  • The complaints service at the NHS trust concerned (in the first instance: details should be available locally);
  • The Health Service Ombudsman: initial enquiries can be made to 0845 015 4033 or 020 7217 4051; complaints must be in writing (for serious cases or complaints that have not been addressed properly);
  • Their local MP (via constituency surgery or by phone: details locally) or council member.

National Advice Service

National Advice Service phone: 020 8974 6814.

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