Getting help in a mental health crisis

If you are experiencing an emergency regarding your mental health and need an assessment urgently, please access the Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS)  – open 24/7 and located at Bloomsbury Building on St Pancras Hospital site, 4 St Pancras Way, London, NW1 0PE. Otherwise:

If you are not under the care of mental health services:

• Contact your GP and ask for an urgent appointment. This will allow you to discuss your experiences and situation with someone who can help you to identify what might be happening to you and organise further help for you if you need it.
• If you feel that you cannot wait to see your GP then please contact the North Central London 24-hour crisis telephone service on 0800 151 0023, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you are already cared for by mental health services in north central London:

• During working hours you should contact the team that coordinates your mental health care on a long term basis:
• If you live in Camden or Islington, you can locate your service using the C&I Service finder.
• If you live in Barnet, Enfield or Haringey, you can locate your service via the BEH BEH-MHT service finder.
• If you are under 18 or calling about a child or young person, please follow the advice under the ‘Getting help in a mental health crisis – for children and young people under 18’s dropdown.

If you are a child or young person or calling about someone under 18 who is experiencing a mental health crisis and is already cared for by child and adolescent mental health services in north central London:

• During working hours you should locate and contact your current child and adolescent mental health service (Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield or Haringey).
• If you need urgent mental health support outside of your team’s working hours, please contact the North Central London 24-hour crisis telephone service on 0800 151 0023. This helpline will provide you with advice from trained mental health advisors and clinicians, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

If you are a child or young person or calling about someone under 18 not under the care of mental health services:

• First contact your GP and ask for an urgent appointment. This will allow you to discuss your experiences and situation with someone who can help you to identify what might be happening to you and organise further help for you if you need it.
• If you feel that you cannot wait to see your GP then please contact the North Central London 24-hour crisis telephone service on 0800 151 0023. This helpline will provide you with advice from trained mental health advisors and clinicians, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

During working hours you should locate and contact your current child and adolescent mental health service:

• Barnet, Enfield or Haringey
• Camden
• Islington

For adults 18+

• Age UK Barnet Befriending Service – This befriending service matches carefully vetted volunteers with Barnet residents over 55 who are lonely and isolated. Relationships normally involve regular phone or home visits for a chat and a laugh. Some matches may also involve outings to shops or parks, help with paperwork and modern technology.
• Barnet Council – Mental health support
• Barnet Wellbeing Hub External (based at the Meritage Centre, Church End, Hendon, London NW4 4JT) offers support online and via phone, including yoga classes, virtual wellbeing cafes and emotional health checks. To find out more call 03333 449088 or email: info@barnetwellbeing.org.uk
• Community Barnet Befriending Service (18 to 55 years old) – Barnet Friends is a befriending service delivered to those aged 18 to 55 in the Barnet community who would like to connect with others to improve their wellbeing. Befrienders can support clients experiencing loneliness, isolation and those clients experiencing mild, moderate and severe mental illness. Referrals from other organisations and self-referrals are welcome. For more information, contact the service on 020 8016 0016 or email befriending@communitybarnet.org.uk
  
• Crisis Prevention House open Monday to Sunday 24 hours a day. Self-referral, if already known to Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust services, by a health professional through the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.
• Mind in Enfield and Barnet – For better mental health (mindeb.org.uk)
  • COVID-19 Bereavement Counselling and Support – Mind in Barnet are offering COVID-19 bereavement counselling and support for anyone who lives, works or studies in Barnet. To find out more about this service, get in touch by calling 020 8446 3676 or emailing Bereavement@mindinbarnet.org.uk
  • Mind in Barnet  IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) offers counselling support. To find out more about this service, get in touch by calling 020 8343 5703 or emailing Counselling@Mindinbarnet.org.uk
• Sanctuary Barnet  a  short-term mental health and wellbeing support service. Open every day of the year, 4:30pm-10pm weekdays and 12-6pm weekends. For anyone in need in Barnet. To find out more about this service email sanctuarybarnet@mindeb.org.uk or get in touch by calling 0208 343 5704. Self referral.

Open to all ages:

• Crisis Line for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey residents of all ages. Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Individuals or carers can telephone: 0800 151 0023.

Children and Young People

• Crisis Line – Barnet, Enfield and Haringey young people and carers can call the crisis line for advice and support between 24 hours a day. Crisis assessments can be arranged between 9am and 10pm Tel: 020 8702 4500
• Barnet CAMHS duty team for young people already known to services, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, young people or carers can telephone for support Tel: 020 8938 2700

• Camden Council – Mental health support
• Camden and Islington iCope – offer free, confidential help for problems such as stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.
• Camden and Islington Crisis Single Point of Access (C-SPA) – contact them on freephone 0800 917 3333. This number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please visit the website for more information.
• Camden Crisis Sanctuary | Hestia Crisis Sanctuary: a community-based service run by a voluntary sector organisation to support people in mental distress between 5 – 10.30pm, 7 days a week. Support can be provided via the phone, online or face-to-face via their drop-in service.
• C-SPA can facilitate access to local crisis houses. Camden and Islington have four crisis houses that residents from both boroughs can use: North Camden Crisis House, Rivers Crisis House, Drayton Park (women only) and Highbury Grove Crisis House.
• Crisis Single Point of Access (CSPA) offer a 24 hour telephone help line 0800 917 3333
• Crisis Prevention House – open Monday to Sunday 24 hours a day. Self-referral, if already known to Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust services, by a health professional through the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.
• Mind Camden- Home | Mind In Camden

Children and Young People

• Crisis Line – Camden young people and carers can call the Tavistock and Portman Camden north crisis line for advice and support Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm Tel: 020 8938 2232
• Crisis Line – Camden young people and carers can call the Tavistock and Portman Camden south crisis line for advice and support Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm Tel: 020 8938 2700

For adults 18+

• Enfield Council – Mental health support
• Mind Enfield-Mind in Enfield and Barnet – For better mental health (mindeb.org.uk)
• Sanctuary Enfield – Crisis Cafe, a short-term mental health and wellbeing support service provided by Mind in Enfield and Barnet. Open 7 days a week, Monday to Sunday between 12pm-10pm. Individuals can directly refer themselves and attend. Address: 275 Fore Street, Edmonton N9 0PD Tel: 020 8906 7509
• Crisis prevention house open Monday to Sunday 24 hours a day. Self-referral, if already known to Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust services, by a health professional through the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.

Open to all ages: 

• Crisis Line for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey residents of all ages. Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Individuals or carers can telephone: 0800 151 0023.

Children and Young People

• Crisis Line – Barnet, Enfield and Haringey young people and carers can call the crisis line for advice and support between 24 hours a day. Crisis assessments can be arranged between 9am and 10pm Tel: 020 8702 4500
• Enfield CAMHS duty team for young people already known to services, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, young people or carers can telephone for support Tel: 0208 702 5100

For adults 18+

• Haringey Council – Mental health support
• Mind in Haringey
• Safe Haven Helpline – The Safe Haven provides a safe, confidential helpline for anyone living in, or who have an existing GP, in Haringey and is aged 18+. This service is also available for family, friends, and carers. If you are in crisis and need to talk, Safe Haven have trained peer support workers ready to listen.
• Safe Haven Crisis Hub – offers face to face appointments at N15 4BN and N4 3QF on designated days from 5pm to 9pm. Individuals can directly refer themselves. Please call 0800 953 0223 or email safehaven@mih.org.uk to find out more.
  Mulberry Junction, 332 High Road, London N15 4BN on Monday,Thursday and Saturday
  Mind in Haringey, 73c Stapleton Hall Road, London, N4 3QF on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
• Crisis prevention house open Monday to Sunday 24 hours a day. Self-referral, if already known to Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust services, by a health professional through the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.

Open to all ages:

• Crisis Line for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey residents of all ages. Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Individuals or carers can telephone: 0800 151 0023.

Children and Young People

• Crisis Line – Barnet, Enfield and Haringey young people and carers can call the crisis line for advice and support between 24 hours a day. Crisis assessments can be arranged between 9am and 10pm Tel: 020 8702 4500
• Haringey CAMHS duty team for young people already known to services, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, young people or carers can telephone for support Tel: 0208 702 3400

• Age UK Islington – To help you get confidence, feel positive, and practical solutions to your health and social care needs, offers a range of support, especially for those over 50.
• Camden and Islington iCope – offer free, confidential help for problems such as stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.
• Islington Council – Mental health support
• Mind Islington Mind – For better mental health
• We Are Islington – If you need support or if you are feeling lonely, call for a friendly chat or for helpful information. The helpline is available every day, from 9am to 5pm for Islington residents. You can call on 020 7527 8222.
• Crisis Café – Islington Mind Deppard Road, open every evening and every weekend. 6:15pm – 9:30pm, Call 020 7263 3397 after 6:00pm to book.
• Crisis Single Point of Access (CSPA) offer a 24 hour telephone help line 0800 917 3333 
• C-SPA can facilitate access to local crisis houses. Camden and Islington have four crisis houses that residents from both boroughs can use: North Camden Crisis House, Rivers Crisis House, Drayton Park (women only) and Highbury Grove Crisis House.

Children and Young People

• Crisis Line – Islington young people and carers can call the crisis line for advice and support between 24 hours a day. Crisis assessments can be arranged between 9am and 10pm Tel: 020 7524 3355
• Islington CAMHS duty team for young people already known to services, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, young people or carers can telephone for support. Tel: 020 7527 3355

NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (previously known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies or IAPT) is a psychological therapy service that helps patients manage and overcome anxiety and depression.  It provides evidence-based psychological therapies for people experiencing stress, worries, low mood/self-esteem, as well as other difficulties associated with depression and common anxiety disorders.

You can access talking therapies for free on the NHS.

You can refer yourself directly to an NHS talking therapies service without a referral from a GP, or a GP can refer you.

Help is available in person, by video, over the phone or as an online course.

Please see below for details of your local NHS Talking Therapies service:

• Let’s Talk Barnet (soon to be renamed NHS Barnet Talking Therapies)
  Email: beh-tr.nhsbarnettalkingtherapies@nhs.net
  Tel: 020 8702 5309
  For more information please visit the Let’s Talk Barnet website

• Let’s Talk Enfield (soon to be renamed NHS Enfield Talking Therapies)
  Email: beh-tr.nhsenfieldtalkingtherapies@nhs.net
  Tel: 020 8702 4900
  For more information please visit the Let’s Talk Enfield website

• NHS Haringey Talking Therapies (previously called Let’s Talk Haringey)
  Email: haringey.talkingtherapies@nhs.net
  Tel: 0203 074 2280
  For more information please visit the Haringey Talking Therapies website

• iCope: the Camden and Islington Psychological Therapies Service
  Tel: 020 3317 6670 (Camden)
  Tel: 020 3317 7252 (Islington)
  For more information please visit the iCope website

Manor Gardens is a local voluntary sector organisation that offers a range of mental health and wellbeing services that can be accessed directly without referral from a professional.

Support for people bereaved by suicide who live, work or study in Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey.

The service supports people of any age, but if children and young people are involved, the service will work with specialised agencies to ensure the right support services are in place. 

The service offers one-to-one support as well peer group support by a suicide bereavement worker and a volunteer with lived experience of bereavement by suicide.

For more information, visit: www.rethink.org/ncl-supportaftersuicide

Andy’s Man Club offers weekly free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups for men aged over 18. These are for men who have either been through a storm, are currently going through a storm or have a storm brewing in life.

These support groups take place across the country, you can find your nearest Andy’s Man Club by clicking here.

This website provides NHS-endorsed tips and advice to help tackle stress, anxiety and sleep issues. Access their resources: Looking after your mental health

Good Thinking is an intuitive, easy to use online service which will help you find tools and information to help yourself feel better. From the basics of reading tips from other users on getting a better night’s sleep, right through to completing a clinically approved self-assessment, there is something to support you no matter who you are or what your circumstances may be. Good Thinking can also help by connecting you with people in a similar situation to you. The service is free to everyone with a London postcode.

Follow this link to access to the Good Thinking website.

Kooth is an online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop and free at the point of use. Kooth gives children and young people between 11 and 26 access to professional help when they need it; providing support from qualified counsellors seven days per week, until 10pm.

Young people register anonymously on the site, which gives them access to drop-in or booked online chats with British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy certified counsellors, psychotherapists and emotional wellbeing practitioners. You can log in to Kooth through any connected device. Kooth offers moderated peer to peer support, as well as giving young people access to downloadable self-help resources, forums and discussion groups. 

Follow this link to access the Kooth website.

Open Door provides mental health support for young people aged 12-24. Young people can call or email for more information or to get an appointment.

The StayAlive app is a suicide prevention resource for the UK. It’s full of useful information to help you stay safe. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may have suicidal ideas.

The app has many life-saving features including strategies for staying safe, advice on how to help a person thinking about suicide, signposting to local and national support.

Click here to download the app on the Apple App Store, or click here to download the app on the Google Play Store. The app is also accessible as a desktop website app, click here to access this format.

A citywide movement to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all Londoners. It is supported by the Mayor of London and led by the London Health Board partners. They offer free webinars and online tools to help with your mental health. Access their resources: Help yourself and others