The number of people attending A&E for self-harm and mental health related reasons in West Cumbria has dropped since the opening of a new walk-in mental health centre. <\/p>\n
Hope Haven has been operating since January, with the King Street site officially opening in March, allowing people to receive the help they need without an appointment.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n In that time the amount of admissions to adult acute inpatient wards in the area have gone down by nearly 24%, according to figures shared with ITV News by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n And between January and May, people attending West Cumberland Hospital <\/a>for self-harm reasons dropped by 30%, while people coming for mental health related reasons dropped by 15%. <\/p>\n “The impact we\u2019ve had on the community is massive”, said Senior Client Service Manager Ellie O\u2019Grady. “We are still seeing really high footfall. Consistently we see about 30 people in a day.”<\/p>\n Ellie O’Grady is a Senior Client Service Manager based at Hope Haven Credit: ITV Border<\/p>\n She continued: “The hope is there\u2019s a Hope Haven on every high street. We see the work that we\u2019re doing here and the positive impact that it\u2019s having.<\/p>\n “We really hope that this can be replicated across the country.”<\/p>\n The space brings a range of support under one roof, including mental health support, advice on money and work and help tackling drug and drinking problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n Recovering addict Anthony McCourt is just one of 2,942 people have received support through Hope Haven since March.\u00a0<\/p>\n Having initially received short-term residential care, he is now working through a 12-step program with the support team.\u00a0<\/p>\n Recovering addict Anthony McCourt says Hope Haven “saved my life” Credit: ITV Border<\/p>\n He said: “I relapsed early last year and then I ended up getting arrested for my behaviour to drink and drugs. And then I got sectioned from the cells and tried to top myself in the cells.<\/p>\n “It was game over for me. In my head, I didn\u2019t want to be alive, you know? And with them [Hope Haven] has given a purpose, you know, to keep in touch, to make us feel like I am somebody.<\/p>\n “They made me feel like I needed to be alive and was worth being alive\u2026 The support of everything is unbelievable really.”<\/p>\n The aim at Hope Haven is to create an accessible support space for everyone. <\/p>\n Of the people who have received support here since March, a quarter had not engaged with CNTW\u2019s NHS mental health services before.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I originally got brought down here by a police officer that had been sent out to do a welfare check on my flat”, said Andrew Dixon, who was initially sceptical about the service.\u00a0<\/p>\n Andrew Dixon was initially skeptical about the service Credit: ITV Border<\/p>\n He continued: “I\u2019ve been to various mental health services. Hope Haven is my last hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n “This place has opened the door for me rather than go and ask for help through other services where you might see somebody once or twice.”<\/p>\n Hope Haven is one of six neighbourhood mental health centres that have been rolled nationwide by NHS England as part of an initial pilot.\u00a0<\/p>\n The government has already announced plans for 100 more community mental health facilities across the country, including a new centre in North Cumbria, though plans for this are in the early stages.\u00a0<\/p>\n How to get help if you are struggling with your mental health<\/p>\n CALM<\/a> (Campaign Against Living Miserably) – Helpline: 0800 58 58 58<\/p>\n MIND<\/a> provides advice and support<\/a> to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Information line: 0300 123 3393<\/p>\n