New NHS counselling and emotional wellbeing service for South Tyneside

Thu 29th July 2021

Qwell, a mental health and emotional wellbeing platform provided by Kooth, will be available from Monday 1 August, with support from NHS South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Dr Jim Gordon, a local GP and Clinical Director at the CCG, said: “It’s been a difficult time for many of us with Covid-19, lockdowns, job worries and all the other concerns of a pandemic. It’s never been more important for us all to take a moment and look after our mental health and wellbeing.

“We have a strong range of mental health services locally, and Qwell is another option to make sure you can get support quickly and easily when you need it. It could be a bit of extra help in a difficult moment, or it could be the helping hand you need while you’re waiting for therapy or other support.”

Qwell is available to anyone aged 24 or over living in South Tyneside, in addition to the range of other mental health services already available. People can access the service anonymously at www.qwell.io, while local employers can also support their staff by signposting them to the service.

Younger people already have access to the Kooth.com service, which offers professional counselling and support to anyone in South Tyneside aged between 10 and 25.

The UK’s leading provider of digital mental health support, Qwell is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. It offers free, anonymous access to resources, an online community and live messaging with an online support team. Users can also drop in or book one-to-one online chat sessions with counsellors from noon to 10pm on weekdays, and 6pm to 10pm on weekends, 365 days a year.

The service was developed after many residents told the CCG they would like 24-hour online access to support, advice and information about local services.

Dr Lynne Green, Chief Clinical Officer at Kooth, added: “We’re delighted that Qwell is now available to provide timely help and support to adults in South Tyneside. At a time of increased stress and anxiety due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s vital that we take preventative steps to manage our mental health and emotional wellbeing. We believe that digital mental health services like Qwell should be available easily and when people need it the most – without referrals, waiting lists or any of the stigma that is sometimes associated with getting support.

“We encourage those struggling not to wait until they are at crisis point before reaching out for help. From self-help articles and moderated discussion forums through to individual counselling from experienced counsellors, we can support at a range of levels and help establish a much needed sense of community.”

 

Qwell and Kooth are part of a range of NHS services to support local people with their mental health:

• You can get help by calling Lifecycle mental health service on 0191 283 2937 or visiting the South Tyneside Lifecycle website
• Anyone aged 24 and over can get support and counselling at qwell.io; if you are 10-25, you can get help through www.kooth.com.
• If you or another person have been harmed or are at immediate risk, you may require an emergency response – call 999.
• Anyone who urgently needs specialist advice can contact the Initial Response Team on 0303 123 1145, 24 hours a day.
• If you are feeling suicidal, phone the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.stopsuicidenenc.org.

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