Sussex residents pointed to mental health services
The Hub of Hope app signposts all relevant mental health support services
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has teamed up with a national charity to signpost local people to vital mental health support.
The partnership's website now has Chasing the Stigma's Hub of Hope app embedded on it. The app can be used to direct users to relevant support services across the county.
The app has access to information about community and inpatient care, as well as dementia, personality disorder, psychosis, depression, anxiety and specialist learning disability services.
It was established in 2017 by the charity, set up by Liverpool comedian Jake Mills, following his own suicide attempt in October 2013.
Jake said: "I didn't know of any help, I didn't know of any support, I didn't know anything that was around. Once I started speaking out about what I'd gone through, I started to realise just how many people were going through the same thing at the same time, all feeling like they were the only ones.
"The reality is you can travel anywhere in this country and if you want a takeaway or a taxi you know what to do, but you can be born and raised in a city or a town and not necessarily know the mental health support that's around you.
"Every year almost three quarters of the people that die by suicide in the UK are not known to mental health services or haven't been seen in the year previous to the death. It's absolutely vital we make support easier to find."
To date, the Hub of Hope has directed more than 200,000 people to life-changing and even life-saving help.
Sam Allen, Chief Executive of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It is so important that everyone can find mental health services when they or their families need them.
“Partnering with Chasing the Stigma’s Hub of Hope means we can provide clear signposting so people can find help in the NHS or any other organisation they choose. Please download the Hub of Hope App and share it with your friends and family.”
The Hub of Hope can be accessed through the app, which can be downloaded from the App Store (iPhone) or Play Store (Android), the Chasing the Stigma website or www.hubofhope.co.uk. The Hub of Hope also has a ‘Need Help Now?’ button that connects users directly to Samaritans or Crisis Text Line’s messaging service.