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SOURCES OF SUPPORT

Crisis Support

If you (or someone you know) are in immediate crisis, for example you think you might act on suicidal thoughts/feelings or you have seriously harmed yourself or are thinking of seriously harming yourself:

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  • go to your local hospital Accident & Emergency department and ask for help - click here to find your local A&E department. 

  • if you need to, you can call 999 and ask for an ambulance;

  • contact the Samaritans for free 24/7 telephone support on 116123 (UK and ROI) - for more information visit their website by clicking here;

  • text SHOUT to 85258 - for more information click here.

Urgent Support

If you need urgent support for your mental health but you don’t feel you need to go to A&E, there are a range of other services that offer support:

  • Your GP surgery should be able to offer urgent / emergency appointments with the next available GP. All GP surgeries run their own system so please check your surgery’s appointment system. The GP can provide information and advice, make onward referrals or prescribe medication if necessary. Many GP surgeries also direct you to an out-of-hours service when they are closed. If your are not registered with a GP, you can also ring NHS 111 or click here to find your local drop in centre.

  • SANE UK runs a mental health helpline from 4:30pm to 10:30pm daily which offers specialist emotional support and information. To access this, call: 0300 304 7000 

  • Rethink Mental Illness have a number of helpline and advice services, which offer practical and emotional support and signposting to those experiencing severe mental illness, their carers and relatives. The Rethink Advice and Information Service (0300 5000 927) is open from 9.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday for practical advice on issues such as different types of therapy and medication; benefits, debt, money issues; police, courts, prison; your rights under the Mental Health Act.

 Support for students

  • Your university may have a Nightline listening and support service operated by other students. Check the Nightline website to see if your university has such a service.

  • Your institution will usually have a student mental health service, details about which will be on your institution’s website, usually under ‘student support’ or ‘student wellbeing’. 

  • The University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN) has helpful information about rights, resources and broad support networks for students on their website. 

Support in the workplace

  • It may be useful to find out whether your employer offers any staff support schemes for employees with mental health problems, e.g. workplace counselling or services provided via Occupational Health. Occupational Health may also be able to assist with putting in place workplace adjustments if needed.

  • Mindful Employer® is an NHS initiative designed to help employers and employees access information and local support for difficulties with stress, depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. Their website includes helpful information about how to look after yourself as an employee and a number of useful publications.

  • Rethink offers a guide on reasonable adjustments at work.

  • Mind UK provides helpful information about mental health, including in the workplace.

  • Access To Work can provide advice and an assessment of workplace needs if you have a disability or a long-term health condition, and are already in work or about to start. Grants may be available to help cover the cost of workplace adaptations to enable you to carry out your job without being at a disadvantage. 

  • ​Remploy offers a free and confidential Workplace Mental Health Support Service if you are absent from work or finding work difficult because of a mental health condition. It aims to help people remain in (or return to) their role. 

  • ACAS gives employees and employers free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. They also offer training and help to resolve disputes.

  • Unite The Union is a democratic and campaigning union, which supports employees in the workplace and helps protect workers' rights.

  • About disability discrimination  and the Equality Act 2010

Support for doctors and medical students

  • A number of services specifically for doctors, and in some cases medical students, have been set up:​​​​​

  • The Doctors’ Support Network (DSN) provides confidential peer support for doctors and medical students who are experiencing mental health problems. They also provide a list of support services for doctors.  

  • The NHS Practitioner Health Programme is a free and confidential service for medical doctors and dentists experiencing physical or mental health problems or addiction.

  • DocHealth is a confidential psychotherapeutic consultation service based in London but open to all doctors across the UK on a self-referral basis. It is supported by the British Medical Association and the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. ​​

Other sources of support

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