Mental health charity Self Help Services is launching a specialised overnight crisis centre in Wigan and Leigh
Mental health charity Self Help Services is launching a specialised overnight crisis centre in Wigan and Leigh on World Mental Health Day, Friday 10 October.www.selfhelpservices.org.uk/
Following the overwhelming success of its existing all night service in Manchester, together with Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group we are proud to have commissioned Self Help Services to bring the same provision to people in Wigan and Leigh.
Operating all night every night The Sanctuary Wigan and Leigh will be a place of safety and support, welcoming people experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, depression and / or suicidal thoughts outside of usual office hours. It will provide an important alternative to people who, in the past, have gone to Accident and Emergency services when experiencing a mental health crisis during the night
Wigan and Leigh residents or those registered with a GP in the boroughs can access the service by calling The Sanctuary on 01942 410522. Following a conversation with trained Sanctuary staff, people will then either be offered telephone support or they will be invited to come to The Sanctuary for one-to-one support.
Alongside this, the Sanctuary offers a calm room and staff ensure people are signposted to other appropriate local mental health services after their Sanctuary visit.
We have commissioned Self Help Services to run The Sanctuary from charity Compassion in Action’s building, Patrick House in Leigh. The Sanctuary complements the work of Compassion in Action, who also work with people in crisis.
Chief Officer of Self Help Services, Nicky Lidbetter said: “There’s a range of great mental health services in Wigan and Leigh for people with common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression and the Sanctuary will compliment these throughout the night.
‘We’re proud to be working with our healthcare partners in Wigan and Leigh to ensure that people receive appropriate support in the community when they need it most, preserving A and E services for those experiencing medical crisis.
‘As a charity we pride ourselves on being user-led, with many of our staff and volunteers having personal experience of common mental health problems, ensuring we’re in touch with the needs of people experiencing these types of problems.”
Since its opening last year, The Sanctuary Manchester has given support to more than 300 people. A report by the University of Manchester released to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day recently revealed that seven percent of people who had used The Sanctuary would have self-harmed or attempted suicide if they had not had access to it.
In addition, the report found that 43% of people would have gone to A&E, called an ambulance or the Police had it not been for The Sanctuary.