South of Tyne Initial Response Service

The Initial response Service provides 24 hour access to mental health care, advice, support and treatment. By calling Freephone telephone number 0800 6522 867 a member of the team will speak to you and discuss your current mental health needs.

If you are Deaf text 07889 036 280

Anyone who lives in South Tyneside and Sunderland who feels they need urgent mental health care or have an enquiry about their routine care can contact the Initial Response Service.

This includes service users, carers, family, friends and supporters. People who have not been previously diagnosed with a mental health problem can self refer to the Initial Response Service. You can also be referred by your GP, social care professional or a voluntary organisation.

If you urgently need specialist advice, even if you have not been diagnosed with a mental health problem, you can still talk to a member of the team who can advise you on 0800 6522 867

If you are Deaf text 07889 036 280

From our conversation with you, a member of the team may arrange for a nurse to see you at home, at a GP practice or another mutually agreed place to allow us to gather further information regarding your current mental health needs and offer you some support or we may be able to offer you information about other services who may be able to help you at this time.

The Initial Response Service is made up of clinical leaders, qualified mental health clinicians and experienced support staff.

The team is supported by Clinicians from specialist areas of care such as:

• Children’s and young peoples mental health services
• Learning disabilities services
• Older peoples services

 
The team recognise that some people need to be seen quickly and in these cases we will aim to provide a response within an hour.

The nurse who attends will help you to work out what support you need and be able to give you advice and information. If the nurse thinks that you need extra support and help from mental health services they will be able to organise this for you.

Everyone in the Initial Response Service works to very strict rules about confidentiality. Although there may be instances where it may be necessary to share information with other professionals. If you have any concerns about confidentiality please talk to a member of staff.

We will keep a record of your contact with our service and also provide your GP with a summary of your contact with us.

Trust staff carry devices that can monitor and record abusive behaviour. They can alert and receive support from emergency services and the recordings may be used in court proceedings.

If an interpreter is needed, please let us know and we will arrange this for you.

Contact Traveline: Tel: 0871 200 22 33
Website: www.traveline.info/

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.cntw.nhs.uk (click on the ‘Contact Us’ tab)
• telephone the Complaints Department 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected] Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk
• We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.
  You can provide feedback in the following ways:
  – the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at
  www.cntw.nhs.uk/poy
  – complete a Points of You survey, available from staff.

 
We really value your feedback to help us improve what we do. We may send you a questionnaire asking you what you thought about our service.

You can contact the team by Freephone 0800 6522 867
The team are available 24 hours a day, weekends and Bank Holidays for urgent referrals and Monday to Friday 9am-5pm for routine/planned care referrals.

For Deaf service users please text 07889 036 280 and a member of the team will respond as soon as possible.

Initial Response Service
Barton Centre, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 0NB
Tel: Freephone 0800 6522 867
If you are Deaf text: 07889 036 280

Sunderland and South Tyneside Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team
Barton Centre, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 0NB
Freephone: 0800 6522 867
If you are Deaf text: 07889 036 280

• Emergency Duty Team
  Tel: 0191 561 4342
  Mon-Thurs 8.30am-4.30pm, Fri 8.30am-4pm and 24 hours at weekends
  This service provides practical support regarding social care and mental health act assessments.
• Health, Housing and Adult Services
  Tel: 0191 520 5550
  Mon-Thurs, 8.30am-5.15pm, Fri 8.30am-4.45pm
  First point of contact for Adult Social Services.
• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
  Freephone 0800 328 4397 or 0191 566 7074
  Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
  PALS is a free, confidential NHS service which acts independently to provide information and advice about the NHS and help sort out any problems you may have.
• Sunderland Carers’ Centre
  Thompson Park, Thompson Road, Sunderland, SR5 1SF
  Tel: 0191 549 3768 – Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
  Email: [email protected]
  Website: www.sunderlandcarers.co.uk
  Information, advice and support for carers.
• Sunderland Mind
  14 Norfolk Street, Sunderland, SR1 1EA
  Tel: 0191 565 7218
  Email: [email protected]
  Website: www.sunderlandmind.co.uk
  Provide information for individuals, carers and families experiencing emotional or mental health problems.
• Washington Mind
  Grasmere Terrace, Columbia, Washington
  Tel: 0191 417 8043
  Email: [email protected]
  Website: www.washingtonmind.org.uk
  Provide information for individuals, carers and families experiencing emotional or mental health problems.
• Sunderland and South Tyneside – Mental Health Matters Helpline
  Tel: 0800 138 6543
  Website: www.mhm.org.uk
  Provides 24/7 emotional support, advice and guidance to residents of Sunderland and South Tyneside who are struggling with their mental health.

• Emergency Duty Team
  Tel: 0191 456 2093
  After 4pm only weekdays and 24 hours at weekends
  This service provides practical support regarding social care and mental health act assessments.
• Adult Social Services
  Tel: 0191 424 6000
  Mon-Thurs 8.30am-5pm, Fri 8.30 am-4.30pm
  First point of contact for Adult Social Services.
• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
  Freephone 0800 328 4397 or 0191 566 7074
  Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
  PALS is a free, confidential NHS service which acts independently to provide information and advice about the NHS and help sort out any problems you may have.
• Carers Association in South Tyneside
  1 Beach Road, South Shields, NE33 2QA
  Tel: 0191 454 3346 – Monday to Friday, 9am-4.30pm
  Email: [email protected]
  Information, advice and support for carers.
• Sunderland and South Tyneside – Mental Health Matters Helpline
  Tel: 0800 138 6543
  Website: www.mhm.org.uk
  Provides 24/7 emotional support, advice and guidance to residents of Sunderland and South Tyneside who are struggling with their mental health.

• MIND Infoline
  Helpline 0300 123 3393, 9am-6pm, Mon-Fri
  Can provide details of help and support in your own area.
• No Panic
  Helpline 0300 772 9844, 10am-10pm everyday
  Helpline which helps people who suffer from panic attacks, phobia’s, obsessive compulsive disorders and other related anxiety disorders.
• The Samaritans
  Helpline 116 123, 24 hours, 365 days a year
  Provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress.
• Saneline
  Helpline 07984 967 708, 4.30pm-10.30pm, everyday
  Helpline which provides support and information to anyone coping with mental illness.
• Rethink’s National Advice Service
  Tel: 0808 801 0525, 1pm-4pm, Monday to Friday
  Provides advice and information to people with severe mental illness, their families and carers.

Support Line
Confidential emotional advice and support to assist people during a crisis.

The NHS website
Information about conditions, treatments, local services and healthy lives.

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, BSL, easy read or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2022 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/603/0722 July 2022 V21
www.cntw.nhs.uk
Tel: 0191 246 7288
Review 2024