North East mental health crisis lines to be retired
People are being urged to ring 111 in case of a mental health emergency
Mental health crisis lines in the North East are being retired - with patients urged to call 111 for help from the 1st of October.
People across Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside and Sunderland will no longer be able to call 0800 or mobile numbers.
These areas' NHS mental health crisis lines are being streamlined, with all local 0800 numbers replaced by a single, national point of contact: NHS 111.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis should call NHS 111 and select the ‘mental health’ option.
This free, 24/7 service connects callers to trained mental health advisors, who will listen and help find the right support.
What’s Changing?
• Local 0800 crisis numbers will be closed down on 1 October, with people being encouraged to call NHS 111 instead.
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• And a new single text number for British Sign Language (BSL) users will replace several existing local text lines: 07860 064 775
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• Crisis teams and services are not changing - there is just a different number to contact them on.
Affected Numbers Being Retired:
• Cumbria: 0800 652 2865 / 077595 656 226
• Newcastle & Gateshead: 0800 652 2863 / 07919 228 548
• North Tyneside & Northumberland: 0800 652 2861 / 07887 625 277
• South Tyneside & Sunderland: 0800 652 2867 / 07889 036 280
Why the Change?
The NHS 111 mental health option has now been successfully running for over a year. This change aims to make it easier for people to know where to turn in a crisis, without needing to remember different numbers based on their location.
Support for d/Deaf BSL Users
From 1 October BSL users, and other people with communication difficulties living in Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Tyneside, Sunderland and North Cumbria, can text 07860 064 775 for crisis support.
Deaf people can also access NHS 111 via SignVideo, or by calling 18001 111 using the Relay UK app or a textphone.
What Happens When You Call?
Calls are answered by experienced mental health advisors, supervised by clinicians such as mental health nurses. If needed, callers may be passed to a clinician for further assessment.
Need Help Now?
If you or someone you know is struggling to cope, don’t wait. Call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option. If someone is physically hurt or in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.