Bradford & airedale CRISIS SUPPORT

VITAL are an Advocacy charity. We help people to have a voice but we are not a crisis service.  

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis & you need immediate support please contact one of the organisations listed below: 

You can call First Response to have your mental ill health assessed, 24 hours a day. Remember to always write down the name of the person you speak to. Telephone no: 0800 952 1181. Please note that any contact with First Response will be added to your NHS notes.

You can also access Safe Spaces through First Response if you need face to face support on the day, if you are in crisis call 0800 952 1181. It is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, from 12pm to 2am and offers a non-clinical environment for people experiencing a mental health crisis as an alternative to the A&E department.

Guide-Line provides confidential, telephone emotional support to you from 12pm (noon) to 12am (midnight), 365 days a year. This service is available for anyone living in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven. You can call Guide-line for telephone support on 08001 884 884.

The Samaritans can be contacted 24 hours a day on 116 123.

You can also use Shout which is a text service, to start a conversation, text the word 'SHOUT' to 85258. This is a free service and their number will not show up on your telephone bill.

If you are under the care of a Community Mental Health Team

Contact Single point of access on 01274 221189 during office hours and ask to speak to your named staff member. If your named staff member is off work ask to speak to Duty or your Doctor’s secretary. Ensure you write down the name of the call handler, time and date of the call.

If you are not under the care of the Community Mental Health team

Contact your GP and let them know you are struggling with your mental health. Ask how your GP can support you and your mental ill health.

If you cannot access your own GP practice you can access a Mind Recovery Worker, to make an appointment, contact your own GP receptionist and ask to see a Mind Recovery Worker in Extended Access. Appointments are available in evenings, out of usual GP opening hours, between 6.30pm and 9.30pm at the following surgeries: Bowling Hall Medical Practice, Park Grange Medical Centre, Picton Medical Centre, Shipley Medical Centre, The Ridge Medical Practice, Moorside Surgery, Bingley Canalside, Hillside Bridge.

You can request to be seen by a councillor or CBT therapist at https://bmywellbeingiapt.nhs.uk/

If what you are need support with isn’t on this list try https://www.healthyminds.services/ a database of many different places and charities which you can receive support from.

IMPORTANT SERVICE UPDATE

VITAL Community Advocacy will be suspending new client referrals for the next 3 months due to being at capacity. You can direct new community advocacy referrals to Voiceability on 03003031660.

Effective from 1st October 2024, Independent Complaints Advocacy will no longer be provided by VITAL. This service will continue with the newly commissioned provider Cloverleaf. ICAT are taking referrals, however you must consent to your details being shared with Cloverleaf, to ensure continuity of service. Please refer to our website for signposting and more information in due course. Please leave a message if you are currently a community client, or you wish to access ICAT. Thank you for your patience during this time.