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Our team helps people who are finding things hard with their mental health.

We offer family intervention. This means we meet with you and your family, or people important to you.

We talk together and try to find ways to make things better.

You can choose who comes with you. This could be:

  • A husband, wife, partner
  • Your children
  • Your relatives
  • Carers
  • Close friends
  • Anyone important to you

Not everyone has to come every time. Sometimes people come to just one session. If you are not sure who to bring, we can help you decide.

We will talk about things that are important to you and your family. We will:

  • Listen to everyone
  • Talk about problems
  • Look for ways to help
  • Talk about what is going well

Every family is different, so the support will be different for each family.

We may talk about things like:

  • What works well in your family
  • How you support each other
  • How you talk to each other
  • Feelings and worries
  • Things that are difficult at home or in life
  • What helps you stay well
  • Your hopes for the future

We may also talk about things like:

  • Culture, ethnicity, or religion
  • Age or gender
  • Disability
  • Sexuality

We only talk about these if they are important to you.

There will be:

  • One main therapist (the lead person)
  • 2 or 3 other mental health staff

You and your family will talk to the main therapist. The other staff will listen.

The other staff will share their thoughts and ideas after a little while. You and your family listen together. You can share what you think after listening.

We will talk about the choice of a team before the first session. If you have any questions, please ask.

We meet together and talk. We try to:

  • Make things feel safe
  • Listen to everyone
  • Understand problems
  • Find new ways to cope

Sessions can happen:

  • At Alnwood, St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth
  • Or at your own home

If your family cannot come to your appointment, they can join by video call. We will talk with you and decide this together.

They may help you:

  • Share ideas
  • Talk to each other better
  • Understand each other more
  • Solve problems together
  • Plan for the future
  • Support each other
  • Stay well

Most sessions last about one hour. Some may be shorter or longer.

The number of sessions is different for each family. We will plan this with you.

We want you to use our service in a way that works for you.

We offer an interpreter if you need help with language or communication.

We can give information in other formats, like large print or easy read.

Please tell the team if you need extra support. This may include more time on visits or help to attend appointments.

We keep details about you and your family private. Sometimes we may need to share details with other professionals involved in your care.

We also write short notes after each session. We store them on a computer. This helps us remember what we talked about.

If we worry about your safety or another person’s safety, we will share details. We do this with other services to help keep everyone safe.

If we can, we will talk to you about this first. If you are not sure about anything, please ask a member of staff.

Here are useful contact numbers:

Mental health crisis support (Crisis Team)

If you or someone you know is in a crisis call NHS 111. Choose the mental health option. They are open all day, every day.

Away from the area and need urgent help? Call 0191 246 6800
This is the Trust switchboard. They will help you reach local crisis teams.

If you are D/deaf or have hearing loss:

Social Care

Adult social care gives info and support to adults. They help people who find day-to-day tasks hard. This may include help with:

  • Getting out into the community
  • Cooking meals
  • Washing and dressing
  • Caring for someone else

North Tyneside phone: 0191 643 2777

Newcastle phone: 0191 278 8377

You can contact us if you need help or support.

Phone: 0191 246 8655
Address:
Older Adult Clinical Psychology Services
Alnwood
St Nicholas Hospital
Jubilee Road
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3XT

You can talk to a staff member or use the contacts listed below. See other ways to give feedback.

Your Voice
You can use this email to tell us what you think about your care. This can be good or bad. You can also ask us to tell you what happens after you send feedback.

Email: yourvoice@cntw.nhs.uk

Comments and complaints
If something went wrong, please tell us. This will help us improve services.

Email: complaints@cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 245 6672
Write to: Complaints Department, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3XT.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS offer a free, confidential service. They can help if you are worried about your care. They support patients, families and carers.

PALS North of Tyne
(services in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and North Cumbria)
Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0800 032 0202

PALS South of Tyne
(services in Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Lotus Ward, Middlesbrough)
Email: pals@cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0800 328 4397

You can get more information about this leaflet from the Patient Information Centre. This includes how the leaflet was made. We can provide this leaflet in other formats. These include Braille, audio, large print, Easy Read, British Sign Language, and other languages.

We welcome your feedback about this leaflet. You can email pic@cntw.nhs.uk

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2026 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref: PIC/956/0626 June 2026 V1
Review date 2029

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk – Telephone: 0191 246 6800