Bridgwater high street mental health hub opens

The hub will be run by NHS Somerset, charities and third sector organisations

A new hub that supports people with mental health conditions has opened.

The Bridgwater centre offers a range of mental health services such as education groups for wellbeing and healthy eating.

The project is a partnership between NHS Somerset, charities and third sector organisations.

Organisers said people can access the hub via their GP, healthcare practitioner, or a self-introduction.

Ms Surridge (pictured left) said the hub has space for one-to-one and group sessions

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust's (SNHSFT) operational service manager, Helen Surridge, said that colleagues from the trust and the Open Mental Health alliance work closely with "experts by experience" to get their ideas.

These are people who themselves have had experience of mental health or homelessness services.

"We also have a section for group sessions, which can be of real benefit to some people, as well as a series of consultation rooms where people can be seen by mental healthcare professionals on a one-to-one basis," she said.

The organisation works with "experts by experience" such as Alex (pictured)

"One of the themes that shone through from the experts by experience was how they didn't want to be seen at a typical NHS-type facility, such as a hospital or health centre, as they felt there was a stigma attached to it.

"Previously these people would have been seen at the Glanville House NHS centre, also in Bridgwater, or at one of the town's GP practices."

She said with both NHS and Open Mental Health colleagues located in the same building, "those informal but important conversations about an individual's social circumstances can take place".

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust's service director for mental health and learning disabilities, Jane Yeandle, said: "It is great that we have this opportunity to provide people in and around Bridgwater this high street facility."

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]