Published on: 16 May 2023
Derbyshire Mind have partnered with the NHS to launch three new mental health community drop-in services across Derbyshire for immediate out-of-hours support for those with mental health concerns.
The first of the three drop-in centres to open will be in Buxton in August this year and a further two sites are set to open their doors in December 2023 in Ripley and Swadlincote.
Derbyshire Mind, a local independent mental health charity within the national Mind network focused on improving mental health and wellbeing for people, will lead the Buxton service in partnership with Zink, a local charity based in Buxton which provides similar support to communities to aid wellbeing.
The out-of-hours mental health community drop-in centres will be open out of hours based on local needs (between 6-11pm) for a minimum of two or three evenings a week and weekends. They are part of a wider programme of partnership activity led by NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Joined Up Care Derbyshire which aims to improve outcomes for people with immediate mental health needs and reduce the need for people to attend hospital Emergency Departments when they are experiencing immediate mental health needs.
Mick Burrows of NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB said: “Local people have told us that when they are experiencing urgent mental health needs, it is often out of hours. The kind of support people have asked for is a safe place in the community where they can talk to someone about what is troubling them.
“These drop-in services in Buxton, Ripley and Swadlincote will deliver just that, and will be a genuine alternative to ED/ A and E departments. The drop-in services will complement our 24-hour mental health helpline and are part of a broad set of services that we’re developing to ensure that support is always available when someone is in crisis.
“The new provision has been made possible thanks to a lot of hard work and input from people with lived experience and partners across our system who have helped to shape something that really fits with local need and services. Many thanks to all involved especially Derbyshire Mind."
Jenny Ryan, Business and Operations Manager at Derbyshire Mind, is pleased to announce the launch of these new services. She said: “We are very excited about the opportunity to offer safe and welcoming non-clinical alternatives to attending A&E to residents across Derbyshire.
“We are proud of our delivery model that sees us working in partnership with local community organisations, combining the expertise of both our organisations.”
More information on the out of hours mental health community drop-in centres as well as job opportunities for the service will be released in the coming weeks on Derbyshire Mind website.
