Looking after your mental health is just as important as physical health, and often the two can be linked, so we are committed to ensuring we have the right services in place to support all of our communities. Your NHS and our partner organisations are all here for you, so please do reach out if you need support.
If you feel you may need some support with your wellbeing but aren’t really sure where to start, the NHS Every Mind Matters website has really useful resources and you can generate a personalised plan by answering a few questions about how you’ve been feeling. Visit Every Mind Matters to find out more.
Urgent mental health support
If you want to talk to someone about how you're feeling, or what you're experiencing, you can contact any of the places listed below.
If it is an emergency and your life is in danger please dial 999.
Support in a crisis:
If your life is at risk right now and you feel you might attempt suicide or have seriously harmed yourself - call 999 or head to A&E. Mental health emergencies are serious - you are not wasting anyone's time.
If you are safe and need someone to talk to you can get support here:
- call NHS Mental Health Crisis support on 111
- call Samaritans on 116 123
- text 'HANTS' to 85258
- If you're under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill
If you have a plan for dealing with a crisis, follow this...
If you’ve already been given a Crisis Line number from a health professional, call it. Or, if you are under the care of a mental health team and have a specific care plan that states who to contact when you need urgent care, you should follow this plan.
Making an urgent GP appointment or contacting 111
If you, or someone else, require urgent care but it is not life-threatening, you should make an emergency GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if your GP practice is closed. For example, this could be:
- if you have an existing mental health problem and your symptoms get worse
- if you experience a mental health problem for the first time
- if someone has self-harmed but it does not appear to be life-threatening, or is talking about wanting to self-harm
- if a person shows signs of dementia
- when a person is experiencing domestic violence, physical, sexual or emotional abuse
NHS 111 available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and includes a team of specialist mental health nurses who can provide support or link you with the right local service for you. Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.
When to phone 999 or visit the Emergency Department
Emergency Departments (EDs) at hospitals are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for serious and life-threatening conditions. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical emergency. If you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe, or if someone’s life is at risk – for example, they have injured themselves or taken an overdose, call 999 or visit your nearest Emergency Department.
Mental health services across Hampshire, Southampton and the Isle of Wight are provided by a variety of organisations, including Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, local charities and councils. These services are provided in a variety of ways including care in the in the community, at specialist facilities or in your own home.
If you would like support for your mental health, your GP is there to listen and can help find the right services and support for you.
You can also refer yourself to your local NHS psychological therapies service (also known as IAPT services) without speaking to your GP, or your GP can refer you. Local IAPT teams are experts in supporting common mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress and panic. You can often refer yourself online or over the phone. Find your local service and how to refer here.
Mental health and wellbeing services to support children and young people are often referred to as Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). 14 new 1-15 minute films have been launched on the Hampshire CAMHS website aimed at supporting primary aged school children. They help guide young people on trying different activities which will support good mental health, including soothing rhythm breathing, muscle relaxation and goal setting.
Local services are made up of specialist teams offering assessment and treatment to children and young people up to age 18 who have emotional, behavioural or mental health problems. Services can be provided by the NHS, local authorities, community and voluntary organisations or within schools. Local NHS providers include Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Solent NHS Trust.
The Little Blue Book of Sunshine- Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Edition is a mental health booklet that has been developed for children and young people in Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight.
The book aims to help children and young people by sharing tips on how to deal with many problems, such as anxiety, body image, relationships and anger. It also includes information about a number of national and local resources.
Now more than ever, anyone can sometimes feel down, worried or anxious because of situations like coronavirus, school, family or friends. The 'Little Blue Book of Sunshine' explains some of the things young people can do right now to feel better, and where to turn to if things feel too much.
The booklet is available in Apple Books and Google Play Books. You can also download the booklet here.
Free listening services offer confidential advice from trained volunteers:
- Call 116123 to talk to Samaritans or email jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
- Text 'HANTS' to 85258 (free service). Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Trained volunteers are there for you to listen and support you to get to a calmer and safe place. Shout is a free, confidential, anonymous service for anyone in the UK. It won’t appear on your phone bill. www.giveusashout.org
- If you are under 19 you can also call Childline on 0800 1111. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
Children and Young People’s Mental Health Local Transformation Plans set out how we will invest resources to improve children’s mental health across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. These plans are developed locally and refreshed annually to make sure they meet the needs of children, young people and services in those areas.
The latest plans build and extend on:
- The commitments made to children, young people and families in 2021/22
- The commitments to improve NHS services for Children and Young People’s Mental Health, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan
- The priorities set out in our local Health and Wellbeing strategies
The current NHS Long Term Plan makes the following commitments to children and young people’s mental health by 2023/24:
- In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 23,125 children and young people aged 5-19 will have access to support via NHS-funded mental health services and school or college-based mental health support teams.
- There will be a comprehensive offer for 0–25-year-olds that reaches across mental health services for children, young people and adults.
- Additional numbers of young adults (aged 18-25 years) will access NHS-funded mental health services as part of a comprehensive offer for children and young people.
- The 95% children and young people eating disorder referral to treatment time standards (urgent referrals starting treatment in 1 week and routine referrals starting treatment in 4 weeks) will be achieved and maintained.
- There will be 100% coverage of 24/7 mental health crisis care provision for children and young people, which combines crisis assessment, brief response and intensive home treatment functions.
- Children and young people’s mental health plans will align with those for children and young people with learning disability, autism, special educational needs and disability (SEND), children and young people’s services, and health and justice.
The four children and young people’s mental health local transformation plans, that cover the different areas of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, can be viewed under the 'Plans' section here.