Organisations across the county have joined forces to launch a wellbeing campaign and additional mental health support for people during the coronavirus outbreak.

‘Now We’re Talking’, encourages people to get talking to combat loneliness whilst self-isolating, and to seek help if they are struggling with their mental health.

The campaign, led by the local authority, NHS and third sector also directs people to increased mental health support available including:

Lifeline Plus – a mental health and wellbeing helpline for people aged 18 and over living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, is available Monday-Friday between 9am and 2pm via freephone 0808 808 2121. The line will support people to manage their wellbeing, provide self-help advice or signpost to other organisations for particular concerns. Between 2pm and 11pm the number is managed by Lifecraft who provide support for those in mental health distress.

Qwell – an online wellbeing support, including educational and self-help articles and peer-to-peer support via forums. Adults are also able to receive help from qualified counsellors via drop-in or scheduled online chat sessions. www.qwell.io

Keep Your Head – this website brings together all the mental health support available across the county – www.keep-your-head.com/now

Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Local people are making a huge contribution by following the government’s instruction to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives. But we recognise these measures mean that nearly all of us will have made changes to our daily routines, and many of us may be experiencing uncertainty, anxiety, or stress.

“Maintaining our mental health and wellbeing is incredibly important, especially at times like this. So taking time to call a friend or family member, and talking about the way that we feel, and some of the things that we may be worried about will help”.

Aly Anderson, CEO of CPSL Mind adds: “Recognising the power of talking, charities and services have partnered to develop a new helpline during coronavirus. We will provide a listening ear for people to share how they are feeling or issues they are facing right now. We will support people to manage their wellbeing, learn self-help skills or to access other support for particular concerns; such as bereavement, employment or those that are caring for others.”

Tracy Dowling, Chief Executive at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a challenging time for everyone, and this campaign highlights how we can all look after our mental health and each other. CPFT continues to provide specialist mental health support for those who require further help. In the current climate we’ve had to adapt our services and are already offering video consultations rather than face-to-face appointments where appropriate. We have also increased the support in our crisis services to ensure people who need urgent help can access it quickly.”

The campaign is led by Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and a number of charities including Cambridgeshire Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind, and Lifecraft.

The mental health campaign, Now We’re Talking, is supported by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

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