Mental health support

If you have a diagnosed mental illness or are having difficulties with your mental health and would like coping strategies to help, you can get support with your mental health from the Emotional Wellbeing Service, or similar service, at most GP surgeries. These services can provide you with information, advice, guidance and support.

Contact your GP surgery to find out what mental health support is available.

National charities also offer a range of information and advice on mental health topics to improve the quality of life for anyone affected by mental illness and carers.

Mental health support available for you and your family in Surrey Heartlands

You can access many services without needing to speak to your GP first.

Trying to understand which services best suit your needs can be difficult, especially if you have never heard of them.

The Healthy Surrey and Mindworks Surrey websites have lots of resources and a comprehensive list of local support services for mental health and emotional wellbeing such as:

  • local services in Surrey for psychological support or money management and debt
  • veteran support
  • places to contact in times of crisis

If you are unable to access online services, you can continue to seek emotional wellbeing support through a free confidential helpline:

  • call 0808 802 5000 (in high demand periods, an answerphone service may be in place)
  • SMS Text 07537 432411 (staffed Monday to Friday 9am-2pm)

Mental Health services for Adults

Mental Health services for Children

Support for you and your family in Sussex

There are several community-based groups that can support you with your mental health, whether you have a diagnosed mental illness or need short-term help or advice about your mental health. Find out what’s available in your area.

If you live in Brighton & Hove

  • Call UOK on: 0808 196 1768 (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays) or you can arrange a call-back at their website.
  • If you are a carer for someone with a mental health difficulty, contact the Carers Centre.

If you live in East Sussex

If you live in West Sussex

  • Pathfinder is an alliance of mental health support providers, covering seven areas in West Sussex – Littlehampton, Horsham, Worthing, Crawley, Chichester, Midhurst and Adur.
  • If you are a carer for someone with a mental health difficulty, Carers Support West Sussex can help.

Supporting people with Severe Mental Illness

Severe Mental Illness (SMI) refers to a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or a history of psychosis.

People with SMI are at higher risk of diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure, and obesity. But early action can help to stop these issues becoming more serious.

Free NHS annual physical health checks

If you have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and/or experience of psychosis, and you are aged 18 or over, you can benefit from a free annual health check at your GP practice once a year.

Talking to a doctor, nurse, or Access Facilitator, and having a few simple tests, can help with finding any health problems early. This means they can offer you the treatment or support you may need to stay well.

Some people need a little extra help to attend their physical health check. You can ask if your practice can provide:

  • a longer appointment,
  • having a carer, friend, or peer support worker with you,
  • an appointment at the beginning or end of the day,
  • a quiet place to wait if you find it hard to be in a busy waiting room,
  • something else you need.

What happens at an annual health check?

There will normally be two appointments lasting about 25 minutes each. Before they have the health check and any tests, the doctor or nurse will check if they are happy to go ahead.

At the first appointment, the nurse or health care assistant will:

  • Check heart rate, blood pressure and weight.
  • Take a blood test.
  • Talk about how to keep well and ask if they need any help with this.
  • Check if vaccinations and screening tests are up to date.

At the second appointment, normally a week or so later, the GP or senior nurse will:

  • Have the results of the blood tests as well as the other findings from the first part of the check and will talk to the patient about their health and the measures that can be taken to improve this going forwards.
  • Talk to them about their medicines and ask if they have any side effects.
  • Check how they are coping with any long term conditions such as asthma or diabetes.

I’m ready to take the first step. How can I request my check?

To get your check you can contact your GP surgery and say:

  • you live with a severe mental illness diagnosis, and
  • you would like to book your annual physical health check.
    You can ask;
    • where you’ll need to go for your physical health check appointment,
    • how long you’ll have to wait for the appointment to come through,
    • how long the physical health check will take, and
    • about any additional support you may need to attend.