Concerned about someone?

Are you already in contact with our services?

If you, or the person you are concerned about, already use our services and you feel emergency treatment is required:

  • During office hours call your care co-ordinator. If they are not available, you should call the team where they are based
  • After office hours, at weekends and on bank holidays - please telephone the out-of-hours mental health helpline on 01438 843322. They will be able to assist you.

If you are not in contact with our services

If you, a friend or relative are experiencing mental health problems for the first time and need emergency treatment, you should:

  • Contact your GP - to search for a GP in your area or to find the contact details for your practice please see the GP section on NHS Choices
  • Go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department
  • Contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647
  • If appropriate contact The Samaritans on 08457 909090
  • For advice on mental health issues contact Saneline on 08457 678000 between 6pm and 11pm (any day of the year)

If you have a mild to moderate mental health problem you can 'self refer' - or ask your GP to refer you to the Enhanced Primary Mental Health Service - also known as Improved Access to Psychological Services.


 

More about Saneline

Would you like to know more about mental illness, treatments or the law?

Want to talk to someone in confidence?

SANELINE - 0845 767 8000 provides help on the phone from 6pm to 11pm 365 days a year 

The aim of this service is to provide accurate, up-to-date information and emotional support and crisis support, via the confidential SANELINE telephone helpline to anyone affected by mental illness, their carer's, friends, relatives and professionals in the county of Hertfordshire.

SANELINE is the only national, out-of-hours mental health telephone helpline for anyone affected by mental health problems. The helpline, available on 0845 767 8000, is open between 6pm and 11pm every day. Kelly Wright, SANELINE Officer, explains.

SANELINE provides vital emotional and crisis support alongside details of over 11,000 local (there are currently over 180 Hertfordshire based services listed) and national mental health services, in addition to comprehensive information about mental illnesses, medications and side-effects, therapies (both traditional and complementary) and mental health law.

Interpreters are provided for callers to SANELINE through Language Line, a service offering interpretation in over 100 languages. It is also possible to contact us using Type Talk, which enables callers with a hearing impairment to communicate with a volunteer via text phone.

In addition, SANELINE's Caller Care service provides support to callers at times of crisis or further need by ringing back those they know to be alone and distressed at particular times. The reality is that often GPs and other health professionals don't have the time to provide the on-going advice and reassurance that people with mental health problems and their carers often need.  This is where SANELINE and the Caller Care service can help.  Staffed by trained mental health workers, the service makes callbacks to vulnerable, suicidal and isolated carers and service users during office hours and also out of hours and at weekends. 

For the next couple of months, I hope to meet up with both service users and service providers, attend local meetings and groups, to raise awareness of the invaluable support the helpline provides.

I will be liaising with organisations across the statutory, voluntary and public sector, together with user and carer groups, to ensure SANELINE is promoted as widely as possible over Hertfordshire. I am keen to alert healthcare professionals and other mental health providers of SANELINE in the area, as the helpline is a great resource for them to refer clients with mental health needs (and their carer's) too, as an alternative means of getting support outside medical appointments. It also relieves some of the pressure on mental health services in the locality.

For further information or awareness materials, or if you would like someone to deliver a talk about SANELINE to your organisation, please feel free to contact myself, Kelly Wright, SANELINE Officer, on 020 7422 5538 or email kwright@saneline.org. You can also find more information about SANELINE on our website at www.sane.org.uk, including nine downloadable information sheets about mental illnesses and treatments.