North East mental health charity’s pioneering service shortlisted for award

A pioneering new service set up by Mental Health Concern, a North East charity, has been shortlisted for a 2018 Bright Ideas in Health Award.

Set up in 2016, Together in a Crisis takes an innovative approach to supporting those who are in distress due to mental ill-health, but who don’t qualify for NHS crisis team support. The Together in a Crisis team work closely with Newcastle Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team to provide non-clinical, practical, and emotional support to people experiencing distress.

Over the last two years the service has supported over 500 people in crisis, of whom over 80 per cent have reported a significant improvement in their mental wellbeing.

Now in its 15th year, the Bright Ideas in Health Awards celebrate innovative achievements throughout the North East and Cumbria and recognise the work being delivered by dedicated teams to improve healthcare across the regions.

Director of Services for Mental Health Concern, Scott Vigurs, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the work Together in a Crisis has been doing over the last two years for people suffering with mental ill health has been recognised through our nomination.

“Together in a Crisis has supported over 500 people who are in crisis because of their mental health and other factors in their lives, such as finance, personal relationships and housing. We’ve helped those people to step back from the crisis and make very real differences in their lives, such that over 80 per cent of people report significant improvement in their personal and mental health wellbeing, and a very real impact in their quality of life.”

https://twitter.com/MH_Concern/status/1058277546058547201

He added: “I believe that this project has been recognised in particular because of its creative and innovative approach to helping people in crisis. It recognises that mental health crisis is rarely just about mental health: it’s about relationships, family, housing, money, alcohol and substance misuse as well. The Together in a Crisis model works with people across all of those areas in a very collaborative and non-clinical way, so that we get alongside people to help problem-solve on a day to day basis.”

Winners will be announced on Thursday 29 November, at the Bright Ideas in Health Awards ceremony, held at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel.

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