Lancashire health group widens mental health support amid coronavirus lockdown

A series of new services have been brought in such as Samaritans Bedside – a speed dial feature on hospital bedside phones to get support.

Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System has also created an online list of all mental health support in the area to be found at www.healthierlsc.co.uk/MentalHealthSupport.

There is also a suicide checklist card for police and key workers so they can quickly and easily signpost people to support if needed when they are called out.

The group is also extending funding to the mental health support website Big White Wall at www.bigwhitewall.com

ICS Mental Health Deputy Director, Paul Hopley said: “While the physical effects of coronavirus are clearly visible and reported on in the news every day, the mental health implications are usually invisible.

"The fact that we are isolating ourselves from our usual interactions with family and friends makes this even harder for people.

“Many of these services were due for roll-out later in 2020, so the fact that we have been able to speed up making them happen to meet the demands of people in Lancashire and South Cumbria now, is brilliant.

“Others are new initiatives where colleagues and partners saw gaps in provision and stepped up to provide a new offer for local people.

“Anyone needing support or someone to talk to should not have to suffer alone.”