Mental health

Mental health problems can affect people at any time of life and in different ways. They may experience practical, social and emotional problems as a result of mental illness or severe emotional stress.

When you first think about approaching mental health services it can seem quite daunting. Who do you go to first? What will they do? How much control will you have? Will it work?

If you are feeling out of control emotionally, or worried that you may have a mental health problem then, in the first instance you should contact your doctor.

Your doctor can:

  • Talk about your problems
  • Check whether your problems have a physical cause
  • Give you medicine for depression, anxiety and other conditions
  • Ask you to see a counsellor
  • Send you to hospital
  • Refer you to an appropriate service 

Services provides by Social Services

Referrals to social services are usually made by your doctor. If you have a social worker, the social worker will make a referral on your behalf.

Our Community Mental Health Teams provide advice, treatment, care and ongoing support to help people with mental health problems to live at home. Staff work for a number of agencies, including nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, consultant psychiatrists, psychologists, and support workers.

Further specialist services are also available:

Primary Care Mental Health Services offers :

  • In depth mental health assessments for individuals who have first been seen by their doctor, but the doctor thinks a more detailed assessment is needed; in some cases, individuals may be referred by secondary mental health services; 
  • Short term treatment, either individually or through group work. This treatment may include counselling, a range of psychological interventions including emotional and behavioural therapy, stress management, anger management and education; 
  • information and advice to individuals and their carers about treatment and care, including the options available to them, as well as ‘signposting’ them to other sources of support (such as support provided by third sector organisations); 
  • support and advice to doctors and other care workers (such as practice nurses) to enable them to safely manage and care for people with mental health problems; 
  • support and co-ordination of the next steps with secondary mental health services, where this is felt to be appropriate for an individual. 

These services are aimed at individuals who are experiencing mild to moderate, or stable but severe and enduring, mental health problems.  

The Assertive Outreach Service work intensively with people with severe and complex problems who have a tendency to disengage with services and experience frequent relapses and hospital admissions as a result. Mental health services have traditionally been delivered in office or hospital-based settings where the client comes to the mental health professional at a pre-arranged time. In assertive outreach, the worker goes to see the client in his or her environment - be that home, a cafe, park or in the street – wherever it is most needed and most effective.

Gwent Forensic Service supports people who, as a consequence of their mental health problems, have had contact with the legal system and require a safe and secure environment such as specialist inpatient units and secure hospitals that enables them to receive a wide range of treatments, therapies and care to assist in their recovery. The majority of our service users are subject to the Mental Health Act 1983 and 2007. The prison service, the probation service and the courts make referrals for the service.

Older People's Mental Health Services provide specialist services, such as dementia care, residential and short break services and day care at residential and day care facilities across the county borough.

The Community Mental Health Support Service works with people who are recovering from mental illness and need support to achieve positive outcomes in relation to ongoing recovery and support in daily activities. The service works with people who are currently involved with the Community Mental Health Team’s or who have been referred on discharge in order to support ongoing recovery. In order to provide the best outcomes as possible, the Community Support Mental Health Service works in partnership with other organisations such as Hafal, Gofal, Pathways and Communities First.

The Mental Health Act Daytime Approved Mental Health Professional Assessment Service provides support to current service users who are known to be at risk of suicide and self-harm. The service will assess people who are felt to be at risk by the Primary Care Mental Health Service and will provide an appropriate service, information and advice or onward referral.

Referrals to the mental health service are directed to the Boroughs Integrated Central Referral Point (CRP) which provides advice and information and can be contacted on 01443 802673.

Organisations and agencies that offer support 

CALL Helpline Wales - Confidential listening and support service for people in Wales
Telephone: 0800 132 737
Visit the C.A.L.L. Helpline website

Hafal · Welsh charity for those with severe mental illnesses
Telephone: 01792 816600
Email: hafal@hafal.org
Visit the Hafal website

Carers Wales
Telephone: 029 2081 1370
Email: info@carerswales.org
Visit the Carers Wales website

Mind - Offers many services including helplines, drop-in centres, supported housing, counselling, befriending, advocacy, employment and training schemes.
Information line: 0845 7660163
Email: contact@mind.org.uk
Visit the Mind website

Rethink - Support and advice for everyone affected by severe mental illness
General enquiries: 0845 456 0455
National advice service: 020 7840 3188
Email: info@rethink.org
Visit the Rethink website

Sane - Offers information, crisis care and emotional support.
Helpline: 0845 767 8000
Email: info:sane.org.uk
Visit the Sane website

No Panic - Help for people with panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders and general anxiety disorders.
Helpline: 0808 808 0545
Email: ceo@nopanic.org.uk
Visit the No Panic website

Cruse Bereavement Care - Offers help to anyone who has been bereaved, free counselling, advice and publications.
Telephone: 020 8939 9530
Day-by-day helpline: 0844 477 9400
Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk
Young Persons' Helpline: 0808 808 1677
Email: info@rd4u.org.uk
Visit the Cruze Bereavement Care website

Depression Alliance - UK's leading depression charity, with a network of self-help groups.
Tel: 0845 123 2320
Email: information@depressionalliance.org
Visit the Depression Alliance website

Depression UK (D-UK) - A national self-help charity promoting mutual support between individuals affected by depression, through pen/phone friend schemes and newsletters with members' contributions.
Email: info@depressionuk.org
Visit the Depression UK website

National Self-Harm Network - Supports people who self-harm, providing information, contacts and workshops.
Email: nshncg@hotmail.co.uk
Visit the National Self Harm Network website

Contact us