Northumberland and North Tyneside Initial Response Team

The Initial Response Team provides 24 hour access to mental health care, advice, support and treatment. By calling 0800 652 2861 a member of the team will speak to you and discuss your current mental health needs. If you are Deaf/and or have communication difficulties text 07887 625 277

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

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 Team. 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 861

If you are Deaf/and or have communication difficulties text 07887 625 277

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

When you first contact the service, you will be spoken to by a call handler who will take some personal details so that we can identify you and find your patient record. You will then be called back by a qualified member of staff who will work with you to explore your current mental health needs. We aim to call you back within an hour.

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. At this appointment you may be offered some support to manage your mental health, or we may be able to offer you information about other services who may be able to help you.

When a face to face appointment is agreed, the team aim to see you within four hours. 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 Team follows very strict rules about confidentiality. However, there may be instances where it may be necessary to share information with other professionals, if there are concerns about yours or somebody else’s safety. 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, including any agreed plans. With your consent, we will also share information about your contact with the Initial Response Team with any other services we refer you to.

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.

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 Tel: 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 telephone 0800 652 2861. If you are Deaf/and or have communication difficulties text 07887 625 277

The team are available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, including on weekends and bank holidays.

Pharmacy Medicines Information Helpline
The Trust has a helpline for confidential advice about medication. You can call the helpline between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. The helpline number is 0191 245 6604

PALS – Patient Advice and Liaison Service
Tel: 0800 032 02 02
Provides information and advice about local NHS services and support organisations and helps raise concerns with NHS services on your behalf.

Healthwatch Northumberland
FREEPOST, Adapt (NE), Burn Lane, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 3HN
Tel: 03332 408 468
Website: https://healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]
Provides information about services available in the Northumberland area and collects feedback about service user and carer experiences to help develop local services.

Healthwatch North Tyneside
The Parks Sports Centre, Howdon Road, North Shields, NE29 6TL
Tel: 0191 263 5321
Website: https://healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]
Provides information about services available in the North Tyneside area and collects feedback about service user and carer experiences to help develop local services.

Carers Northumberland
107 and 109 Station Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8RS
Tel: 01670 320 025
Website: https://carersnorthumberland.org.uk/
Email: [email protected]

North Tyneside Carers’ Centre
Suite 9, Saville Exchange, Howard Street, North Shields, NE30 1SE
Tel: 0191 643 2298
Website: www.northtynesidecarers.org.uk/
Email: [email protected]

SHOUT Crisis Text Line
Text SHOUT to 85258 (available 24/7, 365 days a year)
Website: https://giveusashout.org/
Crisis support service which can only be contacted by text message.

The Samaritans
Helpline: 116 123 (24 hours, 365 days a year)
Email:[email protected] (response time – 24hrs)
Provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress.

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Helpline: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight, 365 days a year)
Webchat also available at: www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat/
Support for men who are experiencing mental health difficulties or suicidal thoughts.

Papyrus – HopelineUK
Helpline: 0800 068 41 41 (9am-midnight, 365 days a year, including weekends and bank holidays)
Text: 07860 039 967
Email: [email protected]
Support for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide.

SANELine
Tel: 07984 967 708 (leave a message for a call back)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sane.org.uk/home
Confidential emotional advice and support to assist people during a crisis.

No Panic
Helpline: 0300 772 9844 (10am-10pm, 365 days a year)
Youth helpline: 0330 606 1174 (for 13-20 year olds)
Email: [email protected]
Helpline which helps people who suffer from panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders and other related anxiety disorders.

Support Line
Tel: 01708 765 200 (hours vary – phone for details)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.supportline.org.uk/
Confidential emotional advice and support to assist people during a crisis.

NHS 111
Tel: 111 (available 24/7, 365 days a year)
Website: https://111.nhs.uk/
Information about conditions, treatments, local services and healthy lives.

MIND Infoline
Helpline: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm, Mon-Fri, except bank holidays)
Email: [email protected]
Can provide details of help and support in your own area.

Rethink’s National Advice Service
Tel: 0808 801 0525 (9.30am-4pm, Mon-Fri, excluding bank holidays)
Website: www.rethink.org/
Provides advice and information to people with severe mental illness, their families and carers.

Northumberland Initial Response Team
St George’s Park
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2NU

Freephone: 0800 652 2861

Text: 07887 625 277 – for people who are Deaf/and or have communication difficulties

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/738/0223 March 2023 V8
www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288
Review 2025