Accessing mental health support in Central and West Lancashire
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides 24 hour access to mental health care, advice, support and treatment. By calling 0800 0130 708, you can speak to a member of the team and discuss your current mental health needs.
Who can access the mental health services?
Anyone who lives across Central and West Lancashire who feels that they need urgent mental health care or has an enquiry about their routine care. Areas include the following, but this is not an exhaustive list:
- Preston
- Bamber Bridge
- Euxton
- Ormskirk
- Chorley
- Fulwood
- Longton
- Barton
- Leyland
- Hutton
- Skelmersdale
- Aughton
You can contact us direct. You do not need to have used any mental health services before or previously been diagnosed with a mental health problem.
Not only can you call us direct, a friend, carer or family member can also call the team if they are concerned for your wellbeing.
You can also be referred by your GP, social care professional or a voluntary organisation.
If you urgently need specialist advice, even if you have not been diagnosed with a mental health problem, you can still talk to a member of the team who can advise you.
What kind of help can I expect?
We will work with you, your family and other agencies to allow quick access to services that will support you.
Our team is made up of qualified mental health clinicians and experienced support staff skilled in talking to people in distress and providing guidance to help you manage the situation and your feelings. They have information on all the health, social and voluntary services available to support you. They will be able to refer you or make you an appointment if it is needed.
From our conversation with you, a member of the team may arrange for you to receive support over the phone or for a mental health practitioner to see you at home, at a GP practice or another mutually agreed place to allow us to gather further information about your current mental health needs. We can also offer you information about other services that could assist you at this time.
The team is supported by clinicians from specialist areas of care such as:
- Children’s and young people’s mental health services
- Learning disabilities services
- Eating disorder services
- Older people’s services
The team recognise that some people need to be seen quickly and in these cases we will aim to provide a telephone response within an hour and, if needed, a face-to-face appointment that same day. The mental health practitioner who attends will help you to work out what support you need and be able to give you advice and information. If they think that you need extra support and help from mental health services they will be able to organise this for you.
What about confidentiality?
Everyone in the Initial Response Service contact centre and Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust works to very strict rules about confidentiality; however, there may be instances where it may be necessary to share information with other professionals. If you have any concerns about confidentiality, please talk to a member of staff.
We will keep a record of your contact with our service and also provide your GP with a summary of your contact with us.
For further details on how your information is stored, please visit our access to health records page.
Interpreters
If you need an interpreter, please let us know and we will arrange this for you.
Travel information
For details of local transport, including timetables, please visit Lancashire County Council’s website.
What if I have a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint about the service?
If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment, or complaint you can:
- talk to the people directly involved in your care
- ask a member of staff for a feedback form or visit our contact us page
- telephone PALS: 0800 234 6088
We are always looking at ways to improve our services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.
How do I contact the Service?
You can contact the team by calling 0800 0130 708. The team are available 24 hours a day, including weekends and bank holidays.
If you are part of the deaf community and need to access Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust’s mental health services whether for urgent or routine care, the support of a BSL interpreter is available and they will help you to communicate with our call handlers or mental health practitioners.
Useful local contacts for Central and West Lancashire residents
Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Free advice service to inform people of their rights and responsibilities. Specialist advice is available for disabled people and their carers such as money advice, employment, housing and homelessness.
South Ribble: 0808 278 7880
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Chorley and South Ribble Welfare Rights Service
Free confidential advice and help with benefit problems. They no longer assist with filling out forms.
Chorley Information and Advice Centre
Telephone: 0300 123 6739
Email the Welfare Rights Service
Clayton Brook Community House
A local charity offering a wide range of services and sessions including counselling, P.A.C.T, job search help, parenting courses, Tai Chi plus much more.
Address: 61-63 Tunley Holme, PR5 8ES
Telephone: 01772 698 074
Email Clayton Brook Community House
Visit the Clayton Brook Community House website
Lancashire Wellbeing Service (Lancashire County Council)
Support and information service on practical matters such as; Health and fitness, home and garden, home and community safety, learning and leisure, finance, mobility, transport, community groups and involvement, relationships and families, employment volunteering and training.
Telephone: 03450 138 208 (N-Compass)
Visit the Lancashire County Council website
Marriage Care
A national charity specialising in couple’s relationships by offering relationship education initiatives, marriage preparation services and relationship counselling.
Telephone: 0800 389 3801 to find your nearest centre
Visit the Marriage Care website
Relate
Relate offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support face-to-face, by phone and through the website.
Address: Hughes House, 160 Garstang Rd, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 8NB
Telephone: 01772 717 597
Visit the Relate website
Trust House Lancashire
Provide specialist support services to women, men and children affected by rape and sexual abuse in Lancashire.
Telephone: 01772 825 288
Email the Trust House Lancashire team
The Women’s Centre
Offers a confidential listening service, free counselling, legal advice, weekly relaxation sessions, information and a variety of courses e.g. stress management or assertiveness.
Open Tuesday and Friday 10am to 3pm. Open at other times for courses.
Telephone: 01257 265 342
Email the Women's Centre
Cruse Bereavement Care
Helps people through one of the most painful times in life – with bereavement support and information
Telephone: 01772 433 645
Visit the Cruse Bereavement Care website
Talking Therapies
Talking Therapies offer a variety of services suited to your needs. A range of interactive and non-interactive courses to help you manage stress, anxiety and low mood.
Preston Telephone: 01772 773 437
Chorley and South Ribble Telephone: 01772 643 168
West Lancashire Telephone: 01695 684 177
Visit the Talking Therapies pages.
Central Lancashire Haven
The haven is a welcoming and non-judgemental places for individuals struggling socially and emotionally with life challenges or who are in crisis.
Our team of professionals and volunteers offer interactive one-to-one and group support.
Address: The Haven, Blanche Street, Preston, PR2 2RL
Telephone: 0330 008 3672
Veteran’s Gateway
A single point of access for veterans to access local services. Includes information on the Covenant and the Lancashire Armed Forces Hub.
Visit our Military Veterans Service page.
KEY Under 25’s Housing Support Team
They help under 25s with housing issues, can arrange supported living and can do mediation to help with trying to keep them with parents.
Telephone: 01772 678 979
Lancashire Mind
Provides information for individuals, carers and families experiencing emotional or mental health problems.
Address: 80-82 Devonshire Road, Chorley, PR7 2DR
Telephone: 01257 231 660
Email the team at Lancashire Mind
Website the Lancashire Mind website
National support services
NHS 111
Telephone: 111 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
Visit the NHS 111 website
NHS Helpline
Telephone: 0800 915 4640 (9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)
Can provide details of help and support in your own area.
MIND Ed
Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)
Can provide details of help and support in your own area.
No Panic
Telephone: 0844 967 4848 (10am to 10pm everyday)
A helpline that helps people who suffer from panic.
Papyrus Hopeline
Telephone: 0800 068 41 41 (9am to midnight every day of the year. Weekends and bank holidays included)
A helpline that helps people having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for a young person who might be you can contact HOPELINEUK for confidential support and practical advice.
The Samaritans
Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours, 365 days a year)
Provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress.
Rethink’s National Advice Service
Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday)
Provides advice and information to people with severe mental illness, their families and carers.
Useful websites
Support Line website - confidential emotional advice and support to assist people during a crisis.
NHS Choices website - Your health, your choices - information about conditions, treatments, local services and healthy lives.