People using Hope Haven, a community mental health hub in Whitehaven, say its round-the-clock, walk-in support has helped them through difficult periods. The centre is part of a six-site pilot scheme offering preventive care without requiring a diagnosis or referral.
Tamara, 22, first arrived at the hub at around 11pm after a friend encouraged her to seek help. She says she was frightened and struggling after years of dealing with the effects of childhood abuse. Staff spoke with her that night and arranged an appointment for the following day. Tamara believes she might still be at “rock bottom” without the support.
From March to July, about 3,000 people accessed Hope Haven’s services in person or digitally. Nearly half had not previously been in contact with NHS mental health services. Admissions to inpatient mental health wards in the area were 24% lower from January to September than in the same period a year earlier, according to the figures provided for the pilot.
The hubs bring together mental health support and other local services, including exercise classes, financial advice and housing support. Hope Haven also has short-stay beds for overnight assistance. The approach draws on the Trieste model of 24-hour, holistic mental health care, which began in Italy in the 1980s.
Whitehaven and the surrounding area face significant challenges. NHS Alliance figures cited in the report put the local suicide rate at 20 deaths per 100,000 people, almost twice the national rate. Referrals to local mental health services have tripled since 2017. Hope Haven staff member Vikki Ford-Powell said the town had lost hope as major employers closed, while colleague Sue Papworth pointed to deprivation in the area.
Josh MacAlister, Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington, said it could be difficult to ask for help in a close-knit community, particularly when mental health services were far away. He described the hub’s early signs as positive and said its accessible, low-stigma support could contribute to addressing local need.
Other visitors describe benefits beyond crisis support. Gordy, 47, said one-to-one, non-judgmental help had enabled him to stop taking antidepressants and feel more comfortable walking in public. Mary Bragg, 91, who lives alone, attends a weekly chair-based exercise class and says she has become happier and found companionship.
The five other pilot centres are in Lewisham and Tower Hamlets in London, Birmingham, York and Sheffield. The hubs are part of NHS England’s 10-year health plan. A further 100 are due to open gradually, starting this autumn, and the pilot centres are set to be evaluated later this year.
Sources: The Guardian World.