Psychological Wellbeing Support

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust are providing anonymous access to a psychological therapist who can offer a ‘listening ear’ and signpost to more support if you need it.

If you need someone else to talk to about how you’re feeling, we are here.

This confidential support line has been set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help health and care, education, police, fire and prison service staff across the North East and Cumbria to cope.

You can ring the helpline and the call handler will ask for a first name and the organisation you work for and either divert the call directly to a psychological therapist or (if therapists are busy with other calls) will take a telephone number and allocate a call back for a 50 minute slot at a convenient time.

The call handler will keep a log of the calls and will record general themes which therapists tell them were raised, deleting the name and telephone number of the staff member before saving in the restricted access (call handlers and two senior psychologists) shared drive. Your manager will not be informed that you have contacted the helpline.

Therapists will ask questions about what you are experiencing and offer support. Their role is to listen and signpost if necessary. These ‘one-off’ conversations are not therapies or interventions. The support line provides time to talk informally about anything that matters to you. Notes of your conversation will not be kept. Further appointments are not booked in although you can of course ring the helpline again at any time. The therapist can also signpost you to useful resources or advise you if it would be helpful to seek additional psychological help and how to do this. They will also be able to support you if you need referring to a Crisis service.

Call 0191 223 2030 between 9am – 6pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).