Third mental health safe haven opens its doors

The Anchorage offers a drop-in mental health service for those in North Tyneside

Medical bosses have opened a third mental health safe haven to provide support to people in their communities.

The Anchorage, has been opened in Wallsend, North Tyneside, by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Everyturn Mental Health.

Similar centres were recently opened in Ashington and Newcastle, while a fourth is planned to be launched in Whitehaven, Cumbria, later this year.

Everyturn Mental Health's senior development manager, Samantha Kitula, said the charity's existing sites had shown how "vital" community-based services were to residents.

"They are not only helping local people access practical mental health in the right place at the right time, but also easing pressures on other NHS services," she said.

"We hope that our continued work with our partners, including the NHS, local council, and local charity and community organisations will help ensure that nobody struggles alone."

Wide-ranging services

The Anchorage is located on Park Road and its name was chosen by residents to reflect the area's maritime heritage and the emotional and practical support it would offer.

The ICB's chief delivery officer, Levi Buckley, said increasing the range of NHS mental health services in the region would allow people to get the right support when they needed it.

"Safe havens offer not just help in a crisis, but also support with the problem that may have caused it, like housing, money, drugs or alcohol," he said.

The centre was opened with funding from the ICB and North Tyneside Council.

The council's elected mayor, Karen Clark, said: "As well as offering practical support, care and understanding, the launch of a service like this on a high street is breaking the stigma that mental health struggles should be kept hidden."