Mental Health and Wellbeing Support

Coronavirus update

There is a wide range of free mental health and emotional wellbeing support available for those aged over 18 who live in South Gloucestershire or who are registered with a South Gloucestershire GP practice.

Wellbeing courses and taster sessions

We offer a variety of free courses and taster sessions. The aim is to boost your feeling of wellbeing in a positive environment as well as helping you to learn new skills, meet new people and make friends. Sessions include:

• Mindfulness
• managing anxiety
• creative arts
• gardening

Groups and support in the community 

The One You South Gloucestershire Wellbeing Workers team can support you to get out, meet new people and be more active. You can find out more information by visiting their website.

Volunteer opportunities

We also coordinate a team of volunteer Health Ambassadors and Health Buddies, who are interested in different aspects of health and want to lead healthier, happier lives as well as helping others to do the same. For further information, or if you are interested in volunteering as a Health Ambassador, please go to the Southern Brooks website. For information about other volunteering opportunities in South Gloucestershire, visit our volunteer page.

Information about services and events

• The Well Aware website covers a huge range of topics and has an extensive database of more than 6,000 local and national organisations and services, and a calendar of events in your local area.
• You can find further information about South Gloucestershire mental health services on the mental health pages on the South Gloucestershire Council website.
• For services and groups that support children and young people’s mental health, see the Mind You website.

Secondary and specialist care

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) have a range of specialist teams supporting people experiencing acute mental ill health. They are accessible via the Primary Care Liaison Team (PCLS) which in turn can only be referred via your GP.  The specialist teams include:

These include:

• inpatient care at facilities such as Whittucks Road and Callington Road
• specialist unit at Southmead for issues such as post-natal depression or eating disorders.

Accessing social care support

You can find out more information about social care support on the South Gloucestershire Council website and how to arrange an assessment, if you are eligible.

Talking therapy services      

• 24/7 Support & Connect Helpline: The new NHS helpline service in BNSSG – provided by Vita Health Group in collaboration with AWP and the CCG. The 24/7 helpline is staffed by experienced BACP registered counsellors who will talk to callers and offer immediate emotional support. They can connect individuals to other organisations available in their local area who can support them further if needed such as IAPT, third sector and community services. Callers can also be transferred to secondary care if a higher level of care or risk is identified. The helpline can support those aged 18 and over, who live in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call: 0800 0126549. Textphone users can dial 18001 followed by 0800 0126549.Translators can support a call if English is not the callers first language. The line is also equipped for those with speech and language difficulties.
• VitaMinds IAPT Service: VitaMinds is the NHS IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) talking therapies service. It is a free service supporting people aged 16 and over, and who are registered with a GP in BNSSG. The service provides a range of short-term therapies for those with common mental health conditions including anxiety and depression. Some of the treatment options include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, self-help group courses and online webinars. VitaMinds also have a new Long-Term Conditions (LTC) pathway which focuses on the emotional impact of various health conditions and learning techniques to help individuals live well with a LTC condition. Referrals to the service can be made through the VitaMinds website , by telephone (0333 200 1893) or through GPs (or other health care professional).
• Off the record provide an area wide talking therapy service for 11-25 year olds.
• Kooth: Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people aged 11-18:

Mental health in the workplace

Thriving at Work South Gloucestershire aims to provide resources, information and support to local employers to help develop working cultures that support staff and challenge the stigma around mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Bereavement Guide

This guide is intended for anyone in South Gloucestershire who has been bereaved and focuses on the local and national support available to help your mental and emotional wellbeing after a loss.

Maternal mental health

Maternal mental health is very important because around 10% of women experience some mental health difficulties around birth which has a potential long term impact on families and children.

If this is an issue affecting you and your family, please contact mentalhealth@southglos.gov.uk for information about local support.

Who to contact in a mental health crisis

If you are in crisis in the first instance contact

• the Samaritans phone 116 123 (this is a free call)
• the Intensive Support Team if you are currently being supported by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust phone 0117 378 4250
• your doctor (or out of hours service)

If you are concerned someone is in immediate danger contact the police or ambulance service on 101 or 999

If you are depressed or anxious your doctor may be able to help you or refer you to other services, including specialist services for people experiencing severe mental ill health.

If you have any general questions about mental health in South Gloucestershire please contact mentalhealth@southglos.gov.uk