Access support 24/7 in a mental health crisis  

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available at any time of the day or night.

NHS 111

Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.

Use the South London Crisis Text Service

You can also contact the South London Crisis Text Service via WhatsApp using this link, or by sending a message to 0303 330 1511.

Both NHS 111 and the South London Crisis Text Service are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for people of all ages. You can contact them for yourself or if you are concerned about someone else.

In an emergency

If you think your life, or someone else's life, is at immediate risk:

Please note that from 1 October, our Mental Health Crisis Line (0800 028 8000) will change to NHS 111. People will still be connected to local mental health services, and the support they receive will remain the same. The only thing changing is the phone number. Read more about the changes to our Mental Health Crisis Line.

Access support for children and young people

If you are a child, young person, or a parent/carer worried about a young person’s mental health, call the  South London Partnership CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) Crisis Line on  0203 228 5980. The line is open every day from 9am to 11pm.

Access support if you are Deaf BSL user

Access support if you are already a patient at our Trust

Between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, contact the team providing your care using the details they have provided and follow any arrangements they have made with you for accessing support.

Access support if there is a risk to life

Call 999 or attend A&E if someone’s life is at risk during a mental health crisis – for example, risk of a medical emergency, serious injury or overdose, or if you have concerns about your physical health that require immediate medical attention.

If you go to A&E with a mental health emergency they may refer you to the liaison psychiatry team if further mental health input is needed. There are liaison psychiatry teams based in the following local A&E departments:

  • St George’s Hospital, St. James Wing, Blackshaw Rd, London SW17 0QT
  • St Helier Hospital, Wrythe Lane, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 1AA
  • Kingston Hospital, Galsworthy Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 7QB

Recovery Cafés (also known as Crisis Cafés)

If you are struggling with how you are feeling or feel at risk of going into crisis, your local Recovery Café can help. Recovery Cafés are a free walk-in out of hours service where you can talk to people who will understand and help you.   

You don’t need a referral or an appointment to visit. You can ring ahead if you need any support getting there or would like to speak with a member of staff first.

 

If you need less urgent help:

Talking Therapies

We provide NHS Talking Therapies services across Kingston, Wandsworth, Richmond, Sutton and Merton.

What are Taking Therapies?

Talking therapies (psychological therapies) can be used to treat many different mental health problems. They involve talking to a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Talking therapies can help with many different problems, including:

  • difficult feelings, such as low mood, worries and stress
  • depression, including postnatal depression
  • anxiety, including social anxiety, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • coping with a long-term health condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic pain


How to access Talking Therapies

You don't need a diagnosed mental health condition to get support. For some conditions, such as anxiety and depression, you can refer yourself directly to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP first. To use this service, you will need to be registered with a GP, and be 18 or over (16 or over in some areas). If you are under 18, find out more about getting mental health support for children and young people.

When to speak to a GP

Speak to a GP if you are not sure about referring yourself to Talking Therapies. They can offer advice and help you find out what is available in your area. 

Other support

  • Through your GP — Contact your GP for mental health advice and guidance, including make a referral to our services.
  • Help with medicines — If you are under our care, our pharmacy team provides a dedicated helpline for advice and support. If you have any questions about your medication, you can call our Medicines Helpline on 020 3513 6829, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, to speak with a pharmacist. You can also use our MindMeds app to log and keep track of your medication. It’s available to download on both Android and Apple devices.
  • Via the NHS website — find further information and advice about getting support for your mental health on the NHS website.
  • Through  Hub of Hope — it is the UK’s largest mental health support database. It is provided by national mental health charity Chasing the Stigma and brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.
  • Through Every Mind Matters — find tips, guides, digital tools and activities to support your wellbeing and improve your mental health on the Every Mind Matters website.


From other helplines and text services

If you just need to talk, any time of day or night, these services offer confidential support from trained staff and volunteers. You can talk about anything that's troubling you, no matter how difficult.

  • Beat support people who have or are worried they have an eating disorder, as well as others affected, such as friends and family members. Their helpline is available by phone, 3pm-8pm, Monday to Friday on  0808 801 0677 and via webchat.
  • CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably. Their helpline is open daily from 5pm to midnight on 0800 58 58 58.
  • Childline  offers support to children and young people over the phone and online. If you are under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to  Childline or chat to one of their counsellors online. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
  • Kooth offers free, confidential and anonymous online support and counselling for 11-23 year olds.
  • Samaritans offer confidential non-judgemental emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide. For English and Welsh speakers. Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org (it may take several days to receive a reply by email).
  • SANEline offers specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. Call 0300 304 7000 (every day of the year, from 4pm – 10.30pm).

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