'Radical' mental health hub to open next year

Hope Haven will open at the former Halifax branch on King Street

A mental health hub designed to help people as soon as they "walk through the door" is to open next year.

Hope Haven in Whitehaven, Cumbria, will bring together a range of services as part of efforts by NHS England to provide more mental health support in communities.

The hub is set to open in April at the former Halifax branch on King Street in the town centre.

David Storm, from the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), claimed Hope Haven would be a "radically new way of supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing".

Mr Storm said currently people need to go to "lots of different places" to get the support they need, which can increase waiting times and make their problems more difficult to overcome.

“But with the Hope Haven, we want to change that," he said.

"People won’t need to be referred and discharged between different teams. They will be able to get the help they need much earlier, just by walking through the door, or contacting us by phone or online."

NHS staff will work at the hub alongside specialists who can help patients with things such as housing, debt and jobs.

Drop-in sessions will be available to residents of Whitehaven and Copeland starting in January - before the hub opens.

The building will be owned by Whitehaven Community Trust but has been purchased and refurbished using funding from NHS England.

Hope Haven was chosen as the centre's name following a public vote.