Dorset’s Access Mental Health services will be open as usual during the festive period to provide support for anyone struggling to cope, seeking help or advice, feeling low or anxious, or heading towards a crisis.
Led by Dorset HealthCare, the services offer round-the-clock help and advice to those in need, in person, over the phone and online over Christmas and into the new year.
This time of year can be a particularly tough time for many of us. Worried about your mental health or someone you know?
The county’s Connection helpline is open 24/7 for support, advice and signposting for anyone in Dorset. Direct dial 0800 652 0190 or call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
Face-to-face and online services available include:
- Community Front Rooms (CFR) – face-to-face drop-in support service for over-18s in Bridport, Shaftesbury and Weymouth, open 2.15-9.45pm, Thursday to Sunday. All are staffed by mental health support workers and provide a space to discuss problems and work towards possible solutions. These are managed by charity BCHA, working in partnership with Hope in Shaftesbury, and Burrough Harmony in Bridport. Virtual support is also available – access via dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/access-mental-health
- The Retreats – face-to-face crisis drop-in service in Bournemouth and Dorchester for over-18s to talk to registered mental health practitioners and peer specialists with lived experience. Open every day from 4.30-11.30pm. The Retreats are a welcoming, safe space to come and receive support without referral or judgement.
Laura Ekelund, Dorset HealthCare’s crisis and acute community services manager, said: “We know this time of year can be particularly hard for many, and our Access Mental Health Services are here to help.
“Our Connection mental health crisis phone line is available 24/7. Please do call us if you are worried about your own, or someone close to you, mental health – our experienced mental health staff are here to listen and support you to find a way forward, whatever the circumstances.”
In addition to existing services BCHA are running a Community Front Room pop-up every Friday (2-10pm) until 1 April at AIMCreekmoor (Creekmoor Youth Centre, Northmead Drive, Poole, BH17 7XZ).
From mid-January, there will be some changes to the Community Front Rooms and The Retreats. The Weymouth CFR will be closing, and a new CFR will be opening in Dorchester.
At the same time, The Retreat in Dorchester will be closing and relocating to Weymouth, and The Retreat at Bournemouth University will be relaunched as a CFR, available exclusively for BU, Arts University Bournemouth and Health Sciences University students.
Laura added: “These changes are designed to ensure that crisis mental health support is available where it is most needed, helping local communities access timely and appropriate care.
“Until the new services open, all current drop-in and crisis support services will continue as usual, including virtual drop-ins.”
More information about the changes will be shared in the new year. Full details on the Access Mental Health services visit: dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/access-mental-health.
In addition to Access Mental Health services, many of Dorset’s Access Wellbeing services will be open over the festive period, and offer a welcoming space to find a listening ear. They are staffed by friendly wellbeing co-ordinators who are on hand to chat to people and help them find support, whether that’s for mental health and emotional wellbeing, or practical worries like money, housing or work.
Access Wellbeing services will be closed on bank holidays over the festive period and other opening hours may also be different – visit www.dorsetaccesswellbeing.co.uk for full details.
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